Barack Obama - NOW is the time to see him keep his word...

One of the things that Republicans and centralized conservatives hate the most about Barack Obama is that he has the reputation of being a left extremist. During his entire campaign, it was centered around 'change' and he plans to do it in such a way to steer the nations straight again.

During the election, he drew a substantial amount of liberals, almost 90 percent, which happens to be more than either Al Gore or John Kerry in the past. It's these 90 percent of left-leaning voters that now plan to hold Barack Obama to his word during the campaign. Not only do they want change, but he must find a way to end the war in Iraq, work on a universal health care plan, and to make it easier for unions to form and to be aggressive in tackling global warming. He also stated that he wanted to tone down the aggressiveness of interrogation tactics of terrorists.

It is essential that President-Elect Obama get on the right track from the start, and he is indicating that he is and will do what it takes, as he has already put together almost half of his Cabinet. Major announcements are expected by tomorrow, December 1st. As Eli Pariser put it, the executive director of the liberal powerhouse Moveon.org, Barack Obama must come true with some of his major promises during his first year in office, or he says, "If they turn out to be all disappointments, we'll have a good three years to storm the gates at the White House." Again, if he doesn't act quickly, he could stand the chance of not winning re-election to the White House in 2012. If that were the case, most likely his popularity would drop maybe almost as low as the current President, George Bush.

But, all indications are that he will do exactly what he preaches, and if successful, he most likely will become one of the most popular Presidents of all time, even more popular than Ronald Reagan. Now wouldn't that upset the conservative movement.

On the other hand, the liberals believe so strongly in this Senator soon to become President, that even his #1 rival during the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton has decided to accept an appointment that is sure to be confirmed tomorrow as she acquires the Secretary of State position, thus giving up her Senate seat. Hillary must truly believe now that there will not be much a a chance for her to run in the 2012 election as long as Obama does well. But what the position does for her will be to give her a minimum of four and maybe 8 possible years of experience working with world leaders to promote Barack Obama's policies around the globe. Then in 2016, maybe she would run for President again.

It is the opinion of the author of this article that Vice-President Joe Biden will not run in 2016, especially if Hillary runs. She would be hard to beat with all of the experience she will have gained working with President Obama and she would be a shoe-in to become the next President.

Obama shifts attention to National Security with Mumbai Heading His List

Because of the Mumbai attack in India, President-Elect Barack Obama is forced to shift his attention from the Economy to Foreign Affairs and National Security. As early as Monday, the President-Elect should be prepared to name the members of his National Security team.

Topping the list is Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Senator from New York who ran against him for the Democratic Nominee to run against John McCain, is expected to accept the Obama's nomination for Secretary of State. She would be replacing Condoleezza Rice who is now serving under President Bush as Secretary of State.

Another person who just so happens to be on the current administration of George Bush, Robert M. Gates is expected to stay on as Defense Secretary, and sources now say that it may only be for a period of just one year. He is the only Republican slated to serve in President Obama's Cabinet.

His National Security Advisor is expected to be Retired General Jim Jones of the Marines. The directory of National Intelligence is expected to be a retired Admiral named Dennis Blair of the U.S. Navy.

With the situation in Mumbai, an area located between Pakistan and India will now gain Obama's attention, but he constantly reminds everyone that until he becomes the acting President on January 20, 2008 at Noon, he is not the President. But at that day and time, he will be active in policy making, economy and defense issues that he will inherit.

Below is a news video briefly highlighting the statements just mentioned.......

Bush on His Legacy: I 'Liberated' Iraqis

The following is an article by Jennifer Parker, and I just wanted to highlight this article here. We have come to a time at a crossroads in history, with a war raging on the other side of the world, to 9/11 and the collapse of the economy here at home. President Bush - the 43rd President of the United States, wants to be remembered for Liberating Iraqis and HIV / AIDS Work in Africa. But what will he really be known for..... One thing is for sure... He sure left allot of work for President-Elect Barack Obama to clean up ! ! ! ! !

The real truth will be shown after the reprint of the following article by ABC News Jennifer Parker........




President Says He Wants to Be Remembered for Liberating Iraqis and HIV / AIDS Work in Africa.

By JENNIFER PARKER
Nov. 28, 2008

In a personal and wide-ranging interview conducted by his sister about his legacy, his faith and the influence of his father, President George W. Bush said he hopes to be remembered as a liberator of the Iraqi people.

US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive back at the White House after a trip to New York in Washington, DC, in this file photo.

"I'd like to be a president [known] as somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace," Bush told his sister, Dorothy Bush Koch, in a conversation recorded for the oral-history organization StoryCorps for the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

An excerpt of the interview was aired on National Public Radio Thursday, and the White House released additional excerpts with both the president and first lady Laura Bush today.

"I would like to be a person remembered as a person who, first and foremost, did not sell his soul in order to accommodate the political process," Bush said, according to White House excerpts.
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What Do You Think BUSH will be remembered for?

1st and FOREMOST....

CASUALTIES OF THE WAR IN IRAQ - Tragedy #1
A GRAND TOTAL OF 4,207 DEATHS AND COUNTING just because he fooled the American people in thinking there were nuclear weapons in Iraq.... he started a war, and forgot the troups in Afghanistan and the real target for terrorism - Osama Bin Laden.. How does he sleep at night... and then he has the gull to say........
"I'd like to be a president [known] as somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace,"

9/11 Tragedy in New York City - Tragedy #2

There were 2,974 fatalities, excluding the 19 hijackers: 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,603 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. An additional 24 people remain listed as missing. All of the fatalities in the attacks were civilians except for 55 military personnel killed at the Pentagon. More than 90 countries lost citizens in the attacks on the World Trade Center. In 2007, the New York City medical examiner's office added Felicia Dunn-Jones to the official death toll from the September 11 attacks. Dunn-Jones died five months after 9/11 from a lung condition which was linked to exposure to dust during the collapse of the World Trade Center.

Where was the Central Intelligence Agency that actually was warned just prior to the attacks. This is like a sequel to another American disaster, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, as the warnings of the impending attacks fell on deaf ears.

HURRICANE KATRINA - Tragedy #3 in New Orleans
As if one disaster wasn't enough referring to 9/11, America was also witness to Hurricane Katrina, a natural disaster caused by no human, until President Bush put his signature on it by not responding in time to help the dieing and homeless in New Orleans. Do you think he will be remembered for that?

HIGH GASOLINE PRICES
When President Bush took office on January 20, 2001, the national average gas price was $1.46 per gallon. Six and a half years later, on August 27, 2007, the national average gas price had jumped to $2.76, roughly 89% higher. Eight years later, prior to the economic collapse, the price of gasoline was nearly $4.00 a gallon. The American people feel hostage to his policies and actions or the lack of during his presidency.

Now, let’s compare the numbers over the same time period for President Clinton.

When Clinton took office on January 20, 1993, the national average gas price was $1.06 per gallon. six and a half years later, the national average gas price had jumped to $1.22, roughly 15% higher. Compounded annually, this represents about a 2% jump each year.

YES, I don't think that the American people will have a hard time remembering what President Bush was all about, they most certainly will never forget.

Initial Steps by Obama Suggest a Bipartisan Flair

Now back from the lighter side, let's try and determine what President-Elect Barack Obama has been doing during the past 3 weeks in an attempt to gain a bi-partisan Cabinet that will help him in critical decisions as President of the United States starting January 20th, 2009. Below is a reprint of an article found in the N.Y. Times by Jeff Deleny published on November 23, 2008. Here you will find the run-down on exactly what your next President has been doing to secure his Cabinet.

Article Tools Sponsored By
By JEFF ZELENY
Published: November 23, 2008

CHICAGO — In the third week of his transition to power, President-elect Barack Obama is working to build a cordial relationship with Republicans by seeking guidance on policy proposals, asking for advice on appointments and hoping to avoid perceptions of political arrogance given the wide margins of his victory.

Mr. Obama has made calls to Republican leaders, and he dispatched Rahm Emanuel, his new chief of staff, to meet with them on Capitol Hill. He asked Republicans to support his economic recovery plan and on Monday will name Timothy F. Geithner, who has worked with the Bush administration’s team, as his choice for Treasury secretary.

And while he has yet to name any Republicans to cabinet-level positions as pledged, he is strongly considering James L. Jones for national security adviser, a retired Marine general who appeared at a campaign event with Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, earlier this year.

“I’d say, so far so good,” said Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, a member of the Republican leadership team. “If he follows through on that, he’ll find plenty of Republicans willing to help him.”

Mr. Alexander added, “It’s almost completely up to him.”

Mr. Obama has shied away from inserting himself in the still-to-be resolved Senate contests in Georgia and Minnesota. While he recorded a radio advertisement for the Democratic candidate in Georgia, advisers said he would not visit there, to avoid appearing to be too political as he works to deliver on his campaign pledge to bridge the partisan divide in Washington.

The bipartisan concessions have infuriated many liberal Democrats but offer a window into how Mr. Obama hopes to approach the presidency. The criticism from the left illustrated the challenges he faces as the symbolism of reaching out to Republicans gives way to disagreements over the Iraq war, taxes and a health care overhaul, particularly considering the size of the Democratic majorities in Congress and the pressures that will bring from his own party.

Mr. Obama has sent centrist and pragmatic signals by selecting Mr. Geithner as Treasury secretary and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York as secretary of state, while offering more traditionally liberal signs by delegating the health care overhaul to Tom Daschle, a former Senate Democratic leader.

But should Mr. Obama go forward with postponing the upper-income tax increase, as some advisers have recommended, it would be a powerful way of attracting Republican support on the economic package he outlined over the weekend.

Liberal activists lit up the blogosphere last week when Mr. Obama absolved Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, and asked Democrats not to strip him of his chairmanship of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs despite Mr. Lieberman’s endorsement of Mr. McCain for president. Mr. Obama also drew ire from some partisans when he met with Mr. McCain and discussed potential Republican appointments to the cabinet.

Chris Bowers, who writes on the OpenLeft.com blog, complained that the foreign policy lineup was a center-right team. “I feel incredibly frustrated,” Mr. Bowers wrote last week. “Progressives are being entirely left out of Obama’s major appointments so far.”

It is hardly unusual for an incoming president to extend his hand to members of the opposing party. (Mr. Obama is spending a good bit of time, aides said, studying the approach of President Abraham Lincoln.) What is far more difficult, though, is sustaining the radiance of the bipartisan honeymoon, a difficulty President Bush encountered eight years ago after early signs of goodwill to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, in their pursuit of an education overhaul.

Mr. Obama’s challenge is no different — it is perhaps even more acute — as he works to straddle the partisan divide that has grown deeper over the last eight years. Advisers said he was well aware of the balancing act awaiting him, particularly as he worked to avoid disappointing or angering Democrats on the left, a constituency that was vital to his winning the party’s nomination.

“Even though the majorities are big, the challenges are of such a magnitude that we’re all inheriting, it’s going to require bipartisanship to solve,” Mr. Emanuel said in an interview after completing a round of meetings with Congressional Republicans. “We’re not lip-synching bipartisanship here.”

Mr. Emanuel, who was formerly the No. 4 Democrat in the House and helped expand the party’s majority in Congress, signaled to Republicans that the president-elect wanted to work alongside them. He handed out his personal cellphone number, urging them to call at any hour if they needed to reach him, and he asked them to submit their ideas for the economic recovery plan and other issues of potential agreement.

Even when they were in the majority, Republicans were often frustrated with the Bush administration’s lack of outreach to Congress. They said Mr. Emanuel’s arrival on Capitol Hill less than three weeks after the election — though no breakthroughs were made on issues — sent a good preliminary message.

“I think the new administration is off to a good start,” said Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky. “This is an opportunity to tackle big issues and to do them in the middle. And it would not be a good idea for the new administration, in my view, to go down a laundry list of left-wing proposals and try to jam them through the Congress.”

The bipartisan potential of the Obama administration will be easier to determine, Mr. McConnell and other Republicans said, when more cabinet appointments are known. Mr. Obama has pledged to nominate more than a token Republican to his cabinet, though positions are filling up quickly and only a handful of Republicans have been mentioned.

One sign of Mr. Obama’s commitment to bipartisanship, several Republicans said, will be whether he keeps Robert M. Gates on as defense secretary. Democrats familiar with the Obama transition said Mr. Gates was among contenders for the post. The selection is not scheduled to be announced until after Thanksgiving.

“From the point of view of most members of the Senate, that would be a welcome appointment,” said Mr. Alexander, the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. “It would show that the president-elect is thinking more broadly and bipartisan than just a narrow base of antiwar activists.”

Mr. Obama’s greatest challenge in actually achieving a bipartisan tone includes navigating the demands of Democrats in Congress. Even though Democrats are now two seats shy of having 60 votes in the Senate, Republican cooperation will be needed on big-ticket items.

Mr. McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, dug up a quotation from Mr. Obama after he was elected to the Senate in 2004, when Republicans were in control of both chambers and the White House. Late last week on Capitol Hill, Mr. McConnell read it aloud, with the words of the president-elect now sounding oddly prescient.

“Whoever’s in power is going to have to govern with some modesty and some desire to work with the other side of the aisle,” Mr. McConnell read. “That’s certainly the approach I would advise Democrats should we regain control.”

» A version of this article appeared in print on November 24, 2008,
on page A15 of the New York edition.

President-Elect Barack Obama addressing the Nation on Thanksgiving Day 2008

The following video is a special Thanksgiving message to the American people by President-Elect Barack Obama in his weekly address speech. Why do I get the feeling that this man who has won the hearts of the people seems to appear to grasp the attention of the so many. I also wonder where our present President George Bush has been for the last eight years. Barack Obama brings promise to the people, and so many people believe in what he is saying. The feeling of hope is strong. He has done so much to restore some of the dreams of many. Now his job will be to turn those dreams into reality. He is living up to the challenge, even before he has the power as President to act on his promises. He will be ready for work in it's fullest capacity to lead this country the moment he takes office. Watch how he speaks about Thanksgiving, stating the way he sees it. Watch his mention some of the issues facing the American People and how he plans to attack these issues. The following video is a very Presidential kind of speech, and in his eloquence you can see how dedicated he is and will continue to be as our 44th President of the United States.

Obama's Interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20

In a very warm interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20 last night, President-Elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama get personal. Here you will see the lighter side of the Obama's, as they reveal their lives, past, present and future, and what living in the White House will mean to them. Below is the interview in its entirety, broken down in 6 parts, courtesy of ABC News and YouTube.


Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



Part 5



Part 6

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TV Talk on 'The View' about Barack Obama

In a recent conversation on 'The View', a syndicated TV show broadcast on weekday mornings, talk show host Hasslebeck expresses her views on 'branding' regarding Barack Obama and his ability as President. Watch a video as you copy and paste the following URL into your browser.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6330528
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Now, A Future in Stem Cell Research

By DAN CHILDS
ABC News Medical Unit
Nov. 11, 2008


For Dr. George Daley, Sen. Barack Obama's recent victory in the U.S. presidential election was a hopeful sign for an issue he holds close to his heart -- and which he believes has the potential to save lives.

Researchers are hopeful that President-elect Barack Obama will make good on his promise to lift the long-standing ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

The issue is stem cell research, and Daley, immediate past president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, says that, since the election, hopes have been high that the next four years could signal an era of greater flexibility for scientists in the field.

"We are hopeful that removing restrictions on funding for stem cells will be one of the first acts of the Obama presidency," Daley said.

"In the research community, we would all breathe a sigh of relief."

The restrictions, which have been in place since 1994, have been seen by many in the field as a stifling force. Though such research was still possible through private and state dollars, the creation of and experimentation on such lines quickly became taboo for many universities and other research centers under fear of scrutiny.

Obama takes the heat about CHANGE

In a press conference held today, President-Elect Barack Obama had to take the heat from a reporter questioning his thoughts about 'change'. He was referring to the notion that Obama was putting together a cabinet with old faces. Watch Barack Obama in a video at this press conference defend his actions as he makes choices for his cabinet located at the URL immediately below...Cut and paste this URL in your browser to view the video.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6342503

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Two New Faces to help lead in Obama's Economic Team

Two more people have been named to help lead in the newly formed economic team that will put together plans for budget reforms. Barack wants to build a smart government, by going through the Federal budget right at the start. Observe the video below to watch and listen how two new people in Obama's economic team, Peter Orszag as the Director and Rob Nabors as the Deputy Director of the White House Office of management and Budget.

President-elect Obama announces two more leaders of economic team @ Yahoo! Video

Obama Children in the White House

Michelle Obama claims that her role as a mother comes before her role as a First Lady in the White House. The goal of the Obama's will be to raise their children as normal as possible. Sasha, 7 and Malia, 10 will have lives like other children. They will have chores in the White house. Normal children have homework after school every day. So will Michelle's children. The school has been chosen, a very prestigious one named Sidwell Friends School. During their recent visit to the White House, Michelle told the White House staff that there definitely will be boundaries, especially when it comes to the girls.

Presidential Legacies - How you would remember them....

Legacies of Presidents are generally agreed upon by historians, and in recent times by ordinary people who have witnessed first hand history in the making. The following is a list of legacies of 6 different Presidents.

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Harry S. Truman

From the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of World War II to the beginning of the cold war.
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John F. Kennedy

The Cuban missle crisis, civil rights and Vietnam dominated his short presidency.
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Richard Nixon

Astronauts walk on the moon, shootings at Kent State, meetings with Brezhnev and the Watergate scandal.
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Ronald Reagan

Cold war, war on drugs, the Challenger disaster, Beirut and Berlin bombings and Iran-Contra scandal.
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Bill Clinton

Welfare reform, the Brady bill, Somalia, Kosovo, budget surplus and the scandals that plagued him.
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George W. Bush

A contested election, Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, war in Iraq, hurricane Katrina, and economic crisis.
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President-Elect Already Working on How to Fix the Economy

For some people who may have thought that Barack Obama was not serious in doing what is necessary to fix the ailing economy, maybe they may be able to believe it now. With still about 2 months prior to his inauguration day, President-Elect Barack Obama is already getting deeply engrained in one of his top priorities when becoming President. He has just announced that he is going to create a new economic recovery board to provide a "fresh perspective" for his administration.The new board of economic experts, will be headed by Paul Volcker, a previous chairman of the Federal Reserve for 8 years serving under Presidents Carter and Reagan. Their main purpose in life will be to advise President Obama on how to revive the ailing economy. Named as chief economist on the board is Austan Goolsbe. One of the things that Obama has pledged just yesterday was to go through the federal budget "page by page, line by line" to eliminate excessive spending and get the economy back on track. His selected team has already started working on crafting an economic recovery plan. An economic stimulus package is central to Obama's plan. He declined Monday to speculate on how big the stimulus would need to be, saying, "We are goin to do what's required to jolt this economy back into shape." As Obama fills out his cabinet, several officials close to the transition tell CNN that Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to stay on the job for at least the first year of the new administration.

President-Elect Barack Obama - Economic Team Announcement 11/24/2008 in Chicago Illinois

Excerpt from 'change.gov' in its entirety

Good morning.

The news this past week, including this morning's news about Citigroup, has made it even more clear that we are facing an economic crisis of historic proportions. Our financial markets are under stress. New home purchases in October were the lowest in half a century. Recently, more than half a million jobless claims were filed, the highest in eighteen years -- and if we do not act swiftly and boldly, most experts now believe that we could lose millions of jobs next year.

While we can't underestimate the challenges we face, we also can&'t underestimate our capacity to overcome them -- to summon that spirit of determination and optimism that has always defined us, and move forward in a new direction to create new jobs, reform our financial system, and fuel long-term economic growth.

We know this won't be easy, and it won't happen overnight. We'll need to bring together the best minds in America to guide us -- and that is what I've sought to do in assembling my economic team. I've sought leaders who could offer both sound judgment and fresh thinking, both a depth of experience and a wealth of bold new ideas -- and most of all, who share my fundamental belief that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers; that in this country, we rise and fall as one nation, as one people.

Today, Vice President-elect Biden and I are pleased to announce the nomination of four individuals who meet these criteria to lead our economic team: Timothy Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury; Lawrence Summers as the Director of our National Economic Council; Christina Romer as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors; and Melody Barnes as Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

Having served in senior roles at Treasury, the IMF and the New York Fed, Tim Geithner offers not just extensive experience shaping economic policy and managing financial markets, but an unparalleled understanding of our current economic crisis, in all of its depth, complexity and urgency. Tim will waste no time getting up to speed. He will start his first day on the job with a unique insight into the failures of today's markets -- and a clear vision of the steps we must take to revive them.

The reality is that the economic crisis we face is no longer just an American crisis, it is a global crisis -- and we will need to reach out to countries around the world to craft a global response. Tim's extensive international experience makes him uniquely suited for this work. Growing up partly in Africa and having lived and worked throughout Asia; having served as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs -- one of many roles in the international arena; and having studied both Chinese and Japanese, Tim understands the language of today’s international markets in more ways than one.

Tim has served with distinction under both Democrats and Republicans and has a long history of working comfortably, and as an honest broker, on both sides of the aisle. With stellar performances and outstanding results at every stage of his career, Tim has earned the confidence and respect of business, financial and community leaders; members of Congress; and political leaders around the world -- and I know he will do so once again as America's next Treasury Secretary, the chief economic spokesman for my Administration.

Like Tim, Larry Summers also brings a singular combination of skill, intellect, and experience to the role he will play in our Administration.

As Under Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and then Secretary of the Treasury, Larry helped guide us through several major international financial crises -- and was a central architect of the policies that led to the longest economic expansion in American history, with record surpluses, rising family incomes and more than 20 million new jobs. He also championed a range of measures -- from tax credits to enhanced lending programs to consumer financial protections -- that greatly benefitted middle income families.

As a thought leader, Larry has urged us to confront the problems of income inequality and the middle class squeeze, consistently arguing that the key to a strong economy is a strong and growing middle class. This idea is the core of my own economic philosophy and will be the foundation for all of my economic policies.

And as one of the great economic minds of our time, Larry has earned a global reputation for being able to cut to the heart of the most complex and novel policy challenges. With respect to both our current financial crisis, and other pressing economic issues of our time, his thinking, writing and speaking have set the terms of the debate. I am glad he will be by my side, playing the critical role of coordinating my Administration's economic policy in the White House -- and I will rely heavily on his advice as we navigate the uncharted waters of this economic crisis.

As one of the foremost experts on economic crises -- and how to solve them -- my next nominee, Christina Romer, will bring a critically needed perspective to her work as Chair of my Council of Economic Advisors.

Christina is both a leading macroeconomist and a leading economic historian, perhaps best known for her work on America's recovery from the Great Depression and the robust economic expansion that followed. Since 2003, she has been co-director of the National Bureau of Economic Research Monetary Economics program. She is also a member of the Bureau's Business Cycle Dating Committee -- the body charged with officially determining when a recession has started and ended -- experience which will serve her well as she advises me on our current economic challenges.

Christina has also done groundbreaking research on many of the topics our Administration will confront -- from tax policy to fighting recessions. And her clear-eyed, independent analyses have received praise from both conservative and liberal thinkers alike. I look forward to her wise counsel in the White House.

Finally, we know that rebuilding our economy will require action on a wide array of policy matters -- from education and health care to energy and Social Security. Without sound policies in these areas, we can neither enjoy sustained economic growth nor realize our full potential as a people.

So I am pleased that Melody Barnes, one of the most respected policy experts in America, will be serving as Director of my Domestic Policy Council -- and that she will be working hand-in-hand with my economic policy team to chart a course to economic recovery. An integral part of that course will be health care reform -- and she will work closely with my Secretary of Health and Human Services on that issue.

As Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress, Melody directed a network of policy experts dedicated to finding solutions for struggling middle class families. She also served as Chief Counsel to the great Senator Ted Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, working on issues ranging from crime to immigration to bankruptcy, and fighting tirelessly to protect civil rights, women's rights and religious freedom.

Melody's brilliant legal mind -- and her long experience working to secure the liberties on which this nation was founded and secure opportunity for those left behind -- make her a perfect fit for DPC Director.

I am grateful that Tim, Larry, Christina, and Melody have accepted my nomination, and I look forward to working closely with them in the months ahead. And that work starts today, because the truth is, we don't have a minute to waste.

Right now, our economy is trapped in a vicious cycle: the turmoil on Wall Street means a new round of belt-tightening for families and businesses on Main Street -- and as folks produce less and consume less, that just deepens the problems in our financial markets. These extraordinary stresses on our financial system require extraordinary policy responses. And my Administration will honor the public commitments made by the current Administration to address this crisis.

Further, beyond any immediate actions we may take, we need a recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street -- a plan that stabilizes our financial system and gets credit flowing again, while at the same time addressing our growing foreclosure crisis, helping our struggling auto industry, and creating and saving 2.5 million jobs -- jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, modernizing our schools, and creating the clean energy infrastructure of the twenty-first century. Because at this moment, we must both restore confidence in our markets -- and restore the confidence of middle-class families, who find themselves working harder, earning less, and falling further and further behind.

I have asked my economic team to develop recommendations for this plan, and to consult with Congress, the current Administration and the Federal Reserve on immediate economic developments over the next two months. I have requested that they brief me on these matters on a daily basis, and in the coming weeks, I will provide the American people and the incoming Congress with an overview of their initial recommendations. It is my hope that the new Congress will begin work on an aggressive economic recovery plan when they convene in early January so that our Administration can hit the ground running.

With our economy in distress, we cannot hesitate or delay. Our families cannot afford to keep on waiting and hoping for a solution. They cannot afford to watch another month of unpaid bills pile up, another semester of tuition slip out of reach, another month where instead of saving for retirement, they're dipping into their savings just to get by.

Again, this won't be easy. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes to this crisis, which has been many years in the making -- and the economy is likely to get worse before it gets better. Full recovery won't happen immediately. And to make the investments we need, we'll have to scour our federal budget, line-by-line, and make meaningful cuts and sacrifices as well -- something I'll be discussing further tomorrow.

Despite all of this, I am hopeful about the future. I have full confidence in the wisdom and ingenuity of my economic team -- and in the hard work, courage and sacrifice of the American people. And most of all, I believe deeply in the resilient spirit of this nation. I know we can work our way out of this crisis because we've done it before. And I know we will succeed once again if we put aside partisanship and politics and work together, and that is exactly what I intend to do as President.

Thank you, and I'm now happy to take questions.

Upcoming Events

The Agenda

1. Revitalizing the Economy

2. Ending the War in Iraq

3. Providing Health Care for All

4. Protecting America

5. Renewing American Global Leadership

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Geithner, Summers to lead economic team

the following article featured on msnbc.com

NEW YORK - President-elect Barack Obama planned to announce the leaders of his economic team Monday, naming Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary and Lawrence Summers to direct the National Economic Council, transition officials confirmed Saturday.
NBC News reported Friday that Geithner would likely be named treasury secretary. The news helped send the Dow Jones industrial average soaring 500 points after several days of steep losses.
If confirmed by the Senate, Geithner, 47, president of the New York Federal Reserve, would be the top Cabinet official in charge of leading the administration's response to the global economic crisis.
Geithner served as a Treasury Department official during the Clinton administration, where he played a major role in negotiating assistance packages for South Korea and Brazil.
Summers, 53, a former treasury secretary under Bill Clinton and one-time president of Harvard University, will advise Obama from the White House. Officials said he would coordinate the federal response to the economic meltdown across several agencies, including a plan Obama announced Saturday to create or save 2.5 million new jobs by rebuilding infrastructure and modernizing schools while developing alternative energy sources and more efficient cars.
During the Clinton administration, Summers helped craft the U.S. support program for Mexico during its 1995 financial crisis. He later helped lead the U.S. response to the Asian financial crisis of 1997.
During Summers' tenure, the United States used budget surpluses to repurchase Treasury debt for the first time since the 1920s. He also extended the life of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds.
Summers was a key figure domestically and internationally in securing significant expansion in debt relief for the world's poorest and most indebted countries — a measure that led to the increased availability of funds for primary health care and education in a number of countries. He also played an important role in negotiating the United States' agreement to allow China to join the World Trade Organization.
During Summers' tenure, the United States marked the longest period of sustained economic growth in its history.
Geithner and Summers were scheduled to appear with Obama at a press conference in Chicago Monday morning.

Watch President-Elect Barack Obama speak in a Weekly Address that will be displayed each week on this website. A speech that he makes about the economy is shown at the URL directly below, courtesy of YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m17pz0R_qZo

Possible Top Obama Cabinet Positons

You might think that a man who campaigned for 22 months straight to capture the Presidency as the 44th person to do so and the 1st African-American in history, would decide to take a rest until his inauguration in January. But instead, he has continued to make very important decisions as to whom will assist him at the White House. Already known is 'Obama's Cabinet', a short list of people who can fill appointment in the Obama White House. These picks will be paramount in helping President-Elect Obama set the course of his Presidency during the first 100 days.
First and top of the list is Senator Hillary Clinton. President-Elect Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton have discussed the possibility that she may serve as Secretary of State under Obama. She was Barack's major rival in the campaign and lost narrowly to Obama as he became the Democratic nominee for President, and later as he defeated John McCain for the bid of the WhiteHouse. Even though she may be a shoe-in for the job, critics are already saying that if she becomes his Secretary of State, that the decision would be going against his motto of 'change'. These critics claim that the Clinton era is over, and that if picked for this positon, he would be demonstrating that he may be going against his motto of 'change'. Regardless, President-Elect Obama has a mission, and that is to pick the best people to help serve him in the White House.

2nd, the Treasury secretary post may be filled by the President of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, Mr. Timothy Geithner. He helped out during the Wall Street financial meltdown this year, as he did oversee the acuisition of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase Bank, along with the bailouts of AIG and Lehman Brothers.

3rd, the Defence Secretary post may be filled by someone presently serving on President George Bush's Cabinet, Mr. Robert Gates. For the past 27 years, he worked for the Central Intelligence Agency while serving as directory for 1991 throught 1993. He also served as the deputy national security advisor under President George H.W. Bush form 1989 through 1991.

4th, the National Security Advisor post may be filled by a Retired General James L. Jones. He served in the Vietnam War for 1967 through 1968 while earning various honors. He is a 1985 graduate of the National War College. He was an assistant to Defense Secretary William Cohen in 1997. He was named the commander of the U.S. European Command and suprreme allied commander of Europe in 2003 by then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfild.

5th, The Secretary of Energy post may be filled by Senator Jeff Bingaman as he currrently chairs the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. His main responsibility is to oversee the U.S. energy policies. He's been a US. Senator from New Mexico for 6 terms.

6th, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano is President-elect Obama's top choice for secretary of homeland security. She has been a governor in Arizona since 2002, and was re-elected in 2006. Prior to her Governorship, she was the state's attorney general and as a U.S. attorney for Arizona. in the early 90's, she was part of the legal team that represented Anita Hill during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas.

7th, Former Democratic Representative Lee Hamilton may fill the post ofUN Secretary. He originally was an Indiana congressman for over 30 years. He was elected to the U.S. House back in 1964, but then left Congress in 1008. The committees that he chaired were House Committee on Foreign Affairs, vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission, and co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group since 2006 to help assess the conflict.

8th, Former deputy attorney general for President Bill Clinton in 1997, Eric Holder Jr. is on the short-list for Attorney General. He serverd as a U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia before working for President Clinton. In 1988, he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to the position of associate judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was instrumental as a top adviser in the Obama campaign while leading in Obama's vice presidental search.

Obama and the Economy

Barack Obama plans to tackle first hand what is hitting us in the face. That would most definitely be the failing economy. He know's that before things get better, that most of the time things must get worse. So he is prepared the spend money to better the economy. That would mean that the national deficit will continue to grow. He is convinced that we must take the steps to turn the economic crisis around. The most important thing is that steps are taken do avoid a deeping recession. Consumer confidence and regulation of the financial market is extremely important. So right off the bat, he plans on passing an economic stimulus pachage. He's very well aware that if the auto industry failed, that it would be desaster. He want to do what must be done to protect the auto industry.
President Bush is trying to pass a bill that would provide emergency loans to the auto industry using the Treasury departments $700 billion dollar fund. But he is getting harsh opposition from his own Republican party in the Senate. Being a lame duck President, it is clear that not many bills will get passed, but the President seems to be trying to do everything that must be done.

Barack Obama canvassing in Ohio

President-Elect Barack Obama's campaign has been very public, and one of his campaigns which went through Holland Ohio prior to the election is on a YouTube video which I thought you may like to watch. It is immediately below....

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New Appointment - Senior Advisor to the President

Sometimes it pays to know the right people. One of their longtime friends has been appointed as a senior adviser. Valerie Jarrett will serve as "senior adviser and assistant to the president for intergovernmental relations and public liaison." We know Barack must think highly of her, but what does she really think about him. Observe the video below and hear first hand her thoughts on President-Elect Barack Obama.

7000 Government Jobs Available

You may have wondered how many jobs in President-Elect Barack Obama need to be filled in his new administration. Well how about this number.... 7,000. Included are 15 Cabinet positions and nearly 200 ambassadorships as well as agency heads and their immediate subordinates, policy executives and advisers, and top aides to those officials. Most of the positions will require presidential appointment. Also, the application that you must fill is not short with only basic information. Instead, you will be required to prepare a 7-page 63 item questionnaire. This document is very detailed, and leaves no stone left unturned regarding the applicant's life, including information about family members and very personal information. It also asks about writings, speeches, testimony, online communications and even personal diaries.

According to a report on the CNN website, "An entire section requests details on any criminal or civil legal action in which the applicant may have been involved. The last question in that 11-item section asks for details on any child support or alimony orders."

"In an apparent effort to avoid the problems faced by several nominees in the last two administrations, a block of four questions is devoted to ferreting out details -- including the immigration status -- of any domestic help the applicant may have hired."

"Question 61 seems to have been prompted by the controversy over former 1960s radical William Ayres in Obama's campaign: "Have you had any association with any person, group or business venture that could be used -- even unfairly -- to impugn or attack your character or qualifications for government service?""

"Under the final, "Miscellaneous" category, the questionnaire asks for the names and phone numbers of past live-in lovers; whether anyone in the applicant's family owns a gun; the state of the applicant's health; and whether he or she has any enemies."

Barack Obama - The Democratic Keynote Address - 2004

One of the most charismatic speeches of all time came from our now President-Elect, Barack Obama in 2004, given at the Democratic National Convention in Boston Massachusetts. Back then, he was on his Senate journey in Illinois. He was given the chance to give the keynote address speech for the Kerry/Edwards ticket. At that time, Kerry was running against a popular incumbent President, George Bush who was seeking his second term as President of the United States. The speech was given on July 27, 2004, a 17 minute speech that sent him to the U.S. senate in a landslide victory in November, 2004. Unfortunately, his candidate John Kerry did not win that night in November, instead Barack celebrated his victory as he won the seat in the U.S. Senate for the state of Illinois in a landslide victory over his opponent.
Not too many people knew that Barack Obama had his future goals set to become President of the United States when he was elected to the Senate. When he announced his candidacy for President of the United States just one year later, noone thought he had the chance to win an election, especially since it was already known, maybe just through rumors, that Hilary Clinton may run in 2008. How could he defeat her in a Democratic primary? Not only did he run against her, he beat her in a very close race to become the Democratic Candidate for President of the United States this year in 2008. Then the ultimate happened, as history was made, in a race to the White House that cost more than any other election in history, an election that most people will never forget. Because of Barack Obama, more people were registered to vote than in any past Presidential Election. Below you can view his keynote address speech given in 2004 that catapulted him into stardom, and just about guaranteed him a seat in the U.S. Senate.


Democratic Keynote Address Speech in 2004

President Bush and President-Elect Obama meet at the White House

Today, in a historic meeting has taken place at the White House between President George Bush and First Lady Laura, and President-Elect Barack Obama with his wife Michelle. Both families met and had a private meeting inside the White House. The meeting between the two families have historical significance. Normally the outgoing and incoming first families do not meet this soon after an election, especially since they are from different parties, but due to the importance of a smooth transition of power during these very difficult economic times, it was definitely proper. Whenever possible, I will provide videos supporting the story, like the one immediately below.

Bush Appointees likely to Stay and work with Barack Obama

‌In an attempt to fill top positions for his upcoming government, President-elect Barack Obama is likely to keep a few of the Republican party appointees by President Bush. With this move, he will demonistrate to the American people that he can be bipartisan, and do what he thinks are the right choices for his government, and not necessarily stick to party lines. Some people may not agree with this move, but as in most decisions made by Barack Obama as seen from his campaign to win the White House, the decision is pre-calculated. Noted first, the economy is his main focus when stepping into the White House.

Obama looks to turn to "Ben S. Bernanke, a Republican and former chairman of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, who will lead the Federal Reserve for at least the first year of the new administration." as reported by Washingtonpost.com. They also reported "In assuming control of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama must work with Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was appointed by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates for a two-year term that will end in late 2009 and, by tradition, can expect to be appointed for a second term as the president's top military adviser. Mullen shares Obama's belief in focusing more on Afghanistan but is wary of a timeline for withdrawing troops from Iraq. And in guarding against terrorist attacks -- while correcting what he considers the Bush administration's excesses -- Obama will rely upon FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, whose term expires in 2011.Obama has made it a point of pride to seek consensus with those who do not fully agree with him, and he is even considering keeping Gates at the Pentagon to ensure a smooth transition. But the need to rely heavily on officials who served in the Bush administration -- an era from which he promises a sharp break -- underscores his constraints. His campaign's success was based partly on the selection of a team he personally trusted, but in his first years in the White House, he will not be able to rely solely on advisers of his choosing."

Looking from the outside in, it is appearent that the President of the United States has allot of decisions to make, starting with the selection of people that will surround him in helping him make decisions from the Oval office. I guess only time will tell if the decisions made by Barack Obama were correct or not. People must realize that he is trying to do the best things possible. He is high visability right now, and he knows it. He's made all the right decisions for his campaign, and it was very successful. But he is only human. He knows that he needs the advise and expertise of some of the incumbent Republican people that surrounded Bush, and he plans to keep the people that can help get his agenda done.
Obama has so many decisions to make. One thing is for sure regardless of what he does in office. His actions will be reported here, whether good or bad. I am hoping that all of his decisions will be made correctly, and I'm also hoping that he gain popularity as did Ronald Reagan during his 8 years as a Republican President. It will be his ticket to his second term in office.
Again, as a supporter of Barack Obama I am very hopeful that he will do well in office. I'm willing to give he a chance to prove himself. For me, I've never followed the political process before like I am doing today. I'm so interested in what's going on as I've realized that the governing party is so important, especially in today's econoomy and the recession-like times we are experiencing now. I have so much faith in Obama as he motivates me in writing this blog.

Having the White House called 'HOME'

The WhiteHouse will become a new home for the next First Family. It has been nearly 30 years since the walls of this mansion contained young children. Soon, Barack and Michelle's children will be calling the White House their home. Noted on the night of the victory, President-Elect Obama stated to the world and to his two girls that "you have earned the new puppy that is coming to the White House". In the only interview with the Obama girls, one mentioned how cool it would be to live there, and the other mentioned that it would be neat because now she would be able to decorate her room. Regardless, their lives have now changed forever, as their private lives may not be so private. The entire new first family including the two girls will be protected by the secret service.
As mentioned in a previous article, Michelle Obama claims her role as a mother comes first, and the role of a First Lady comes second. The White House for the most part is a business place where meetings and historic events take place, while being very public in nature. Besides being the White House, the place will be where the Obama's also go home from work. It is Michelle's intention to make sure that the children grow in an atmosphere that her children require, and I'm sure that Mrs. Obama will go through great lengths to accomplish that. The sense of 'normalcy' will be needed and the Obama's will demand that. View the following report by Tom Costello of NBC News talking about this issue.

Very Important...How did you vote? PLEASE READ

74 Days until Inauguration Day - January 20, 2009

In a speech given by the Senator Barack Obama before he was elected President on October 29, 2008, he made the following remarks at the beginning of his speech in Raleigh, NC. Please read the very next paragraph very closely, and note it is the first part of his speech.

"North Carolina, I've got two words for you: six days. And you don't even have to wait six days to vote - you can vote early right now. But this is important: when you do vote, you have to vote in two steps - one for President, and one for the rest of the ticket. If you vote for a straight ticket, you have not voted in the presidential election. You need to vote for president separately."

So what does that mean? It appears that if you voted for a straight ticket, for example, just voted for the Democratic ticket, or the Republican ticket, then you may have not voted for the President of the United States. When I voted this year, I noticed the option, and it was not explained clearly. I wonder how many people voted for the straight ticket and unknowingly did not vote for Barack Obama, thinking they were voting for him. It's too late now, but for the Democrats that wanted to see Barack win, whether you voted right or not, he is now going to become the 44th President of the United States. Remember this in 2012 when you vote the next time.

The following is the text of the rest of his speech on October 29th, 2008.

Six days.

"After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and twenty-one months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are six days away from change in America."

"In six days, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street."

"In six days, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy from the bottom-up so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor."

"In six days, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope."

"In six days, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need."

"We began this journey in the depths of winter nearly two years ago, on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Back then, we didn't have much money or many endorsements. We weren't given much of a chance by the polls or the pundits, and we knew how steep our climb would be."

"But I also knew this. I knew that the size of our challenges had outgrown the smallness of our politics. I believed that Democrats and Republicans and Americans of every political stripe were hungry for new ideas, new leadership, and a new kind of politics - one that favors common sense over ideology; one that focuses on those values and ideals we hold in common as Americans."

"Most of all, I believed in your ability to make change happen. I knew that the American people were a decent, generous people who are willing to work hard and sacrifice for future generations. And I was convinced that when we come together, our voices are more powerful than the most entrenched lobbyists, or the most vicious political attacks, or the full force of a status quo in Washington that wants to keep things just the way they are."

"Twenty-one months later, my faith in the American people has been vindicated. That's how we've come so far and so close - because of you. That's how we'll change this country - with your help. And that's why we can't afford to slow down, sit back, or let up for one day, one minute, or one second in this last week. Not now. Not when so much is at stake."

"We are in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. 760,000 workers have lost their jobs this year. Businesses and families can't get credit. Home values are falling. Pensions are disappearing. Wages are lower than they've been in a decade, at a time when the cost of health care and college have never been higher. It's getting harder and harder to make the mortgage, or fill up your gas tank, or even keep the electricity on at the end of the month."

"At a moment like this, the last thing we can afford is four more years of the tired, old theory that says we should give more to billionaires and big corporations and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. The last thing we can afford is four more years where no one in Washington is watching anyone on Wall Street because politicians and lobbyists killed common-sense regulations. Those are the theories that got us into this mess. They haven't worked, and it's time for change. That's why I'm running for President of the United States."

"Now, Senator McCain has served this country honorably. And he can point to a few moments over the past eight years where he has broken from George Bush - on torture, for example. He deserves credit for that. But when it comes to the economy - when it comes to the central issue of this election - the plain truth is that John McCain has stood with this President every step of the way. Voting for the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy that he once opposed. Voting for the Bush budgets that spent us into debt. Calling for less regulation twenty-one times just this year. Those are the facts."

"Senator McCain says that we can't spend the next four years waiting for our luck to change, but you understand that the biggest gamble we can take is embracing the same old policies that have failed us for the last eight years. We've tried it John McCain's way. We've tried it George Bush's way. It hasn't worked. Deep down, Senator McCain knows that, which is why his campaign said that "if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose.""

"That's why he's spending these last few days calling me every name in the book. I'm sorry to see my opponent sink so low. Lately, he's called me a socialist for wanting to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans so we can finally give tax relief to the middle class. By the end of the week, he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in Kindergarten."

"That's his choice. That's the kind of campaign he chose to run. But you have a choice too. The fundamental question in this election is not "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" We know the answer to that. The real question is, "Will this country be better off four years from now?""

"For eight years, we've seen Washington take care of the extremely well-off and well-connected, and now my opponent is making the same old arguments to justify the same old policies that have been a complete failure for the middle class. He wants to give more to billionaires, more to corporations that ship jobs overseas, more to the same people whose greed and irresponsibility got us into this crisis. We're here because we know they shouldn't get away with it any more. We don't need another President who fights for Washington lobbyists and Wall Street, we need a President who stands up for hardworking Americans on Main Street, and that's what I'll be."

"It's time to think very hard about what four years of John McCain's policies will mean for the middle class."

"If Senator McCain is elected, 100 million Americans will not get a tax cut. You won't see a cent, but the average Fortune 500 CEO will get $700,000 and Big Oil will get $4 billion."

"If Senator McCain is elected, your health care benefits will get taxed for the first time in history, and at least twenty million Americans risk losing their employer health insurance."

"If Senator McCain is elected, we'll have another President who wants to privatize part of your Social Security."

"If Senator McCain is elected, he won't make your college tuition affordable. His campaign says they have no college affordability plan because they consider the young people of America just another special interest."

"Whether you are Nancy the Nurse, Tina the Teacher, or Carl the Construction Worker - if my opponent is elected, you will be worse off four years from now than you are today. So let's cut through the negative ads and the phony attacks - under John McCain, the middle class will watch wealth get favored over work, jobs get shipped overseas, and the cost of health care and college go through the roof. North Carolina, we know that just won't do. Not this time. It's time for change. It's time to do what's right for you, for our economy, and for our country."

"I know that my opponent is worried about losing an election, but I'm worried about Americans who are losing their homes, and their jobs, and their life savings. I'm worried about the middle class. And I won't just fight for your vote in the final days of election - I will fight for you every single day that I'm in the White House. That's why I'm running for President of the United States of America."

"So I can take six more days of John McCain's attacks, but this country can't take four more years of the same old politics and the same failed policies. It's time for something new."

"I know these are difficult times for America. But I also know that we have faced difficult times before. The American story has never been about things coming easy - it's been about rising to the moment when the moment was hard. It's about seeing the highest mountaintop from the deepest of valleys. It's about rejecting fear and division for unity of purpose. That's how we've overcome war and depression. That's how we've won great struggles for civil rights and women's rights and worker's rights. And that's how we'll emerge from this crisis stronger and more prosperous than we were before - as one nation; as one people."

"Remember, we still have the most talented, most productive workers of any country on Earth. We're still home to innovation and technology, colleges and universities that are the envy of the world. Some of the biggest ideas in history have come from our small businesses and our research facilities. So there's no reason we can't make this century another American century. We just need a new direction. We need a new politics."

"Now, I don't believe that government can or should try to solve all our problems. I know you don't either. But I do believe that government should do that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide a decent education for our children; invest in new roads and new science and technology. It should reward drive and innovation and growth in the free market, but it should also make sure businesses live up to their responsibility to create American jobs, and look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road. It should ensure a shot at success not only for those with money and power and influence, but for every single American who's willing to work. That's how we create not just more millionaires, but more middle-class families. That's how we've always grown the American economy - from the bottom-up. John McCain calls this socialism. I call it opportunity, and there is nothing more American than that."

"Understand, if we want get through this crisis, we need to get beyond the old ideological debates and divides between left and right. We don't need bigger government or smaller government. We need a better government - a more competent government - a government that upholds the values we hold in common as Americans."

"We don't have to choose between allowing our financial system to collapse and spending billions of taxpayer dollars to bail out Wall Street banks. As President, I will ensure that the financial rescue plan helps stop foreclosures and protects your money instead of enriching CEOs. And I will put in place the common-sense regulations I've been calling for throughout this campaign so that Wall Street can never cause a crisis like this again. That's the change we need."

"The choice in this election isn't between tax cuts and no tax cuts. It's about whether you believe we should only reward wealth, or whether we should also reward the work and workers who create it. I will give a tax break to 95% of Americans who work every day and get taxes taken out of their paychecks every week. I'll eliminate income taxes for seniors making under $50,000 and give homeowners and working parents more of a break. And I'll help pay for this by asking the folks who are making more than $250,000 a year to go back to the tax rate they were paying in the 1990s. No matter what Senator McCain may claim, here are the facts - if you make under $250,000, you will not see your taxes increase by a single dime - not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes. Nothing. Because the last thing we should do in this economy is raise taxes on the middle-class."

"When it comes to jobs, the choice in this election is not between putting up a wall around America or allowing every job to disappear overseas. The truth is, we won't be able to bring back every job that we've lost, but that doesn't mean we should follow John McCain's plan to keep giving tax breaks to corporations that send American jobs overseas. I will end those breaks as President, and I will give American businesses a $3,000 tax credit for every job they create right here in the United States of America. I'll eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-up companies that are the engine of job creation in this country. We'll create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, and schools, and by laying broadband lines to reach every corner of the country. And I will invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade - jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced; jobs building solar panels and wind turbines and a new electricity grid; jobs building the fuel-efficient cars of tomorrow, not in Japan or South Korea but here in the United States of America; jobs that will help us eliminate the oil we import from the Middle East in ten years and help save the planet in the bargain. That's how America can lead again."

"When it comes to health care, we don't have to choose between a government-run health care system and the unaffordable one we have now. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change under my plan is that we will lower premiums. If you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get the same kind of health insurance that Members of Congress get for themselves. We'll invest in preventative care and new technology to finally lower the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the entire economy. And as someone who watched his own mother spend the final months of her life arguing with insurance companies because they claimed her cancer was a pre-existing condition and didn't want to pay for treatment, I will stop insurance companies from discriminating against those who are sick and need care most."

"When it comes to giving every child a world-class education so they can compete in this global economy for the jobs of the 21st century, the choice is not between more money and more reform - because our schools need both. As President, I will invest in early childhood education, recruit an army of new teachers, pay them more, and give them more support. But I will also demand higher standards and more accountability from our teachers and our schools. And I will make a deal with every American who has the drive and the will but not the money to go to college: if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford your tuition. You invest in America, America will invest in you, and together, we will move this country forward."

"And when it comes to keeping this country safe, we don't have to choose between retreating from the world and fighting a war without end in Iraq. It's time to stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. As President, I will end this war by asking the Iraqi government to step up, and finally finish the fight against bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us on 9/11. I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century, and I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future."

"I won't stand here and pretend that any of this will be easy - especially now. The cost of this economic crisis, and the cost of the war in Iraq, means that Washington will have to tighten its belt and put off spending on things we can afford to do without. On this, there is no other choice. As President, I will go through the federal budget, line-by-line, ending programs that we don't need and making the ones we do need work better and cost less."

"But as I've said from the day we began this journey all those months ago, the change we need isn't just about new programs and policies. It's about a new politics - a politics that calls on our better angels instead of encouraging our worst instincts; one that reminds us of the obligations we have to ourselves and one another."

"Part of the reason this economic crisis occurred is because we have been living through an era of profound irresponsibility. On Wall Street, easy money and an ethic of "what's good for me is good enough" blinded greedy executives to the danger in the decisions they were making. On Main Street, lenders tricked people into buying homes they couldn't afford. Some folks knew they couldn't afford those houses and bought them anyway. In Washington, politicians spent money they didn't have and allowed lobbyists to set the agenda. They scored political points instead of solving our problems, and even after the greatest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, all we were asked to do by our President was to go out and shop."

"That is why what we have lost in these last eight years cannot be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits alone. What has also been lost is the idea that in this American story, each of us has a role to play. Each of us has a responsibility to work hard and look after ourselves and our families, and each of us has a responsibility to our fellow citizens. That's what's been lost these last eight years - our sense of common purpose; of higher purpose. And that's what we need to restore right now."

"Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But all of us must do our part as parents to turn off the television and read to our children and take responsibility for providing the love and guidance they need. Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but at this defining moment, all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort - black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not."

"In this election, we cannot afford the same political games and tactics that are being used to pit us against one another and make us afraid of one another. The stakes are too high to divide us by class and region and background; by who we are or what we believe."

"Because despite what our opponents may claim, there are no real or fake parts of this country. There is no city or town that is more pro-America than anywhere else - we are one nation, all of us proud, all of us patriots. There are patriots who supported this war in Iraq and patriots who opposed it; patriots who believe in Democratic policies and those who believe in Republican policies. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America."

"It won't be easy, North Carolina. It won't be quick. But you and I know that it is time to come together and change this country. Some of you may be cynical and fed up with politics. A lot of you may be disappointed and even angry with your leaders. You have every right to be. But despite all of this, I ask of you what has been asked of Americans throughout our history."

"I ask you to believe - not just in my ability to bring about change, but in yours."

"I know this change is possible. Because I have seen it over the last twenty-one months. Because in this campaign, I have had the privilege to witness what is best in America."

"I've seen it in lines of voters that stretched around schools and churches; in the young people who cast their ballot for the first time, and those not so young folks who got involved again after a very long time. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see their friends lose their jobs; in the neighbors who take a stranger in when the floodwaters rise; in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb. I've seen it in the faces of the men and women I've met at countless rallies and town halls across the country, men and women who speak of their struggles but also of their hopes and dreams."

"I still remember the email that a woman named Robyn sent me after I met her in Ft. Lauderdale. Sometime after our event, her son nearly went into cardiac arrest, and was diagnosed with a heart condition that could only be treated with a procedure that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Her insurance company refused to pay, and their family just didn't have that kind of money."

"In her email, Robyn wrote, "I ask only this of you - on the days where you feel so tired you can't think of uttering another word to the people, think of us. When those who oppose you have you down, reach deep and fight back harder.""

"North Carolina, that's what hope is - that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better is waiting around the bend; that insists there are better days ahead. If we're willing to work for it. If we're willing to shed our fears and our doubts. If we're willing to reach deep down inside ourselves when we're tired and come back fighting harder."

"Hope! That's what kept some of our parents and grandparents going when times were tough. What led them to say, "Maybe I can't go to college, but if I save a little bit each week my child can; maybe I can't have my own business but if I work really hard my child can open one of her own." It's what led immigrants from distant lands to come to these shores against great odds and carve a new life for their families in America; what led those who couldn't vote to march and organize and stand for freedom; that led them to cry out, "It may look dark tonight, but if I hold on to hope, tomorrow will be brighter.""

"That's what this election is about. That is the choice we face right now."

"Don't believe for a second this election is over. Don't think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in this last week, because it does."

"In six days, we can choose an economy that rewards work and creates new jobs and fuels prosperity from the bottom-up."

"In six days, we can choose to invest in health care for our families, and education for our kids, and renewable energy for our future."

"In six days, we can choose hope over fear, unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo."

"In six days, we can come together as one nation, and one people, and once more choose our better history."

"That's what's at stake. That's what we're fighting for. And if in this last week, you will knock on some doors for me, and make some calls for me, and talk to your neighbors, and convince your friends; if you will stand with me, and fight with me, and give me your vote, then I promise you this - we will not just win North Carolina, we will not just win this election, but together, we will change this country and we will change the world. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless America. "