Cindy McCain said today that she expects her husband to clear the record at tonight's debate and let America know where he truly stands.

McCain, who stopped to visit a half-dozen children at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt today, said the presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has "waged the dirtiest campaign in American history," and her husband Sen. John McCain will use tonight's debate to correct the distortions.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/07/cindy-mccain-obamas-waged_n_132...

Full story: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081007/NEWS0206/8...

***Cindy, has your darling husband looked in the mirror lately? Here's some advice for ya: leave the attacks to John's designated pitbull and wife #3-in-the-making Sarah Palin, k? Thanks.

David Edwards and Mike Sheehan
Published: Wednesday April 2, 2008

Gov. Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor who amid much fanfare recently endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president, admitted at the time that his call to Sen. Hillary Clinton, disappointed with his allegiance about-face, was "heated."

What was actually said between Sen. Clinton and Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations serving in the cabinet of Sen. Clinton's husband, has been off the record. That is, until now.

ABC News chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos reports that Sen. Clinton insisted to Richardson, "[Obama] cannot win, Bill. He cannot win."

Stephanopoulos, himself a former Clinton administration official, said the details of the call were confirmed with "sources who have direct knowledge of the conversation," during which, he says, the New York senator "made the most stark argument you can make."

Click link to watch video: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obama_can_not_win_Clinton_told_0402.html

By Cahal Milmo and Kaya Burgess
Thursday, 3 April 2008

The invitation list is typical of the star-studded soirees that have placed Elisabeth Murdoch at the pinnacle of London's most glamorous party circuit. Later this month, the Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow will rub shoulders at Ms Murdoch's home with, among others, a Swedish heiress, the fashion director of Vanity Fair and the River Café co-founder Ruthie Rogers .

But what may seem just another gathering of the capital's mid-Atlantic glitterati at the Notting Hill house that Ms Murdoch shares with her husband, Matthew Freud, the PR guru, was given global political significance yesterday when it was announced that the occasion in question is a fundraiser for Barack Obama, with attendees paying up to $2,300 (£1,160) each into the American presidential candidate's campaign fund.

The fact that the host for the event is the second daughter of Rupert Murdoch provoked immediate excitement on the other side of the Atlantic, where the political favour of the 77-year-old media mogul and his dynasty has long been a subject of debate. The New York Times declared yesterday that the London social event offered "possible clues to Hillary Clinton's Murdoch status".

Until recently, it had been assumed that Mr Murdoch had conferred his favour on Mrs Clinton after he organised a fundraiser for her, and his New York Post newspaper endorsed Mr Obama's rival for the Democrat candidacy for a second term as New York State Senator in 2006.

The rapprochement between the magnate and the former first lady seemed complete last year when he made a donation to her campaign. His son James also gave $3,450 to Mrs Clinton.

But now it seems the Murdoch political wind has decisively changed direction. The New York Post has been a harsh critic of Mrs Clinton throughout her campaign and now, to add insult to injury, one of the stars of the Murdoch clan, who holds both American and British citizenship, is acting as transatlantic cheerleader for the Democrat frontrunner.

The list of confirmed attendees for the Elisabeth Murdoch gathering on 28 April reads, predictably, like a roll call of London's Anglo-American movers and shakers, with film stars and a speechwriter for the former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan jostling for space alongside investment fund managers and property developers.

A flyer for the Obama fundraiser names Ms Murdoch, the woman once declared the world's most powerful blonde by Tatler magazine as one of 12 "event chairs" alongside Ms Paltrow, Ruthie Rogers and Cristina Stenbeck, a leading Swedish businesswoman and heiress.

A list of 20 "event hosts" includes Kay Saatchi, the ex-wife of the art mogul Charles Saatchi, Joanna Shields, the president of the social networking website Bebo, Elizabeth Saltzman Walker, the fashion director of Vanity Fair, and David Blood, who runs an investment fund with the Nobel Prize-winning former US vice-president Al Gore.

Potential guests, who are warned "RSVP required – space is limited", are invited to pay the $2,300 fee to attend a "VIP reception", or $1,000 to appear at the main reception an hour later. Anyone hoping to attend who does not hold an American passport will be disappointed because only US citizens can contribute to a presidential campaign.

The key role of Ms Murdoch, 39, in the event will cement her growing importance as a public and business figure. Her Shine television production company recently became one of Britain's most influential "super indies" after it acquired three rivals including Kudos, the maker of Spooks and Life On Mars, and Reveille, the American company behind Ugly Betty and the US version of The Office.

But last night, those close to the burgeoning entrepreneur played down any wider significance to her support for Mr Obama. Speaking from his yacht in the Caribbean, Mr Freud told The New York Times: "I don't think you can interpret the event as anything other than she is enthusiastic about Obama's campaign."

By BEN EVANS, Associated Press Writer 9 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Former President Carter wouldn't quite say it, but he left little doubt this week about who he'd like to see in the White House next year.

Speaking to local reporters Wednesday on a trip to Nigeria, the former Democratic president noted that Barack Obama had won his home state of Georgia and his hometown of Plains.

"My children and their spouses are pro-Obama. My grandchildren are also pro-Obama," he said at a news conference, according to the Nigerian newspaper This Day. "As a superdelegate, I would not disclose who I am rooting for, but I leave you to make that guess."

Carter's spokeswoman confirmed the remarks.

Asked about the comments, Hillary Rodham Clinton's communications director, Howard Wolfson, said: "Both Senator Clinton and President Clinton have a great deal of respect for President Carter and have enjoyed their relationship with him over the years. And, obviously, he is free to make whatever decision he thinks is appropriate."

Asked if there was concern that Carter would be regarded as particularly influential, Wolfson said Carter is "clearly a distinguished former leader of our party and is a superdelegate. And I'm sure that people will be interested in the choice that he makes. But no, nothing beyond that."

Carter is one of 13 Georgia Democratic superdelegates — elected officials and party elders who have a vote at the national convention this August in Denver and are free to support the candidate of their choice.

Only three of those have not said who they support: Carter, state Rep. Jim Marshall, and former Rep. Richard Ray, who is president of the Georgia chapter of the AFL-CIO.

Among those who have committed, Obama holds a 7-3 lead.

Carter was in Nigeria for a ceremony celebrating a reduction in Guinea worm disease in West Africa.

_______

Associated Press Writer Ann Sanner contributed to this report.

By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 37 minutes ago

PHILADELPHIA - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton walked somberly into a press conference Tuesday and stood before microphones. Reporters tensed, sensing something big might be afoot.

"This has been a very hard fought race," she said. "We clearly need to do something so that our party and our people can make the right decision. So, I have a proposal."

The tension grew. Reporters shifted in their seats. Was she dropping out of the race? Offering to join rival Barack Obama as his running mate?

April Fools!

"Today, I am challenging Senator Obama to a bowl-off," Clinton said, provoking relieved laughs from the assembled scribes.

Clinton carried on, making reference to Obama's disastrous outing at a Pennsylvania bowling alley Saturday.

"A bowling night. Right here in Pennsylvania. The winner take all," she went on. "I'll even spot him two frames."

"It is time for his campaign to get out of the gutter and allow all the pins to be counted. I'm prepared to play this game all the way to the tenth frame. When this game is over, the American people will know that when that phone rings at 3 a.m., they'll have a president ready to bowl on day one."

"Let's strike a deal and go bowling for delegates. We don't have a moment to spare, because it's already April Fool's Day. Happy April Fool's Day."

I'm sitting around listening to music and one of my favorite songs from back in my high school days and I start reminiscing, remembering the fun I used to have...how carefree I was. I also remembered how the singer of the band whose songs I once adored, I had a crush on. Along with the real-life crushes I used to have, they've all faded. It's just so funny to look back at how silly and obsessive I used to be, like many girls, when they're growing up. Here's a couple pictures of my childhood and teenage celebrity crushes. Feel free to poke fun at me. Feel free to share yours also.

From age 11-13, I had a serious crush on JC because I was a HUGE fan of NSYNC(lame, I know but I can admit it!). Only God knows why I found him attractive...he's so barfworthy these days.

Had a gigantic crush on Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D from 15-17. I used to really love the band, even more than NSYNC but once they started making crappy music and had too much band drama, it faded. When I see Jason Castro, he reminds me of a emo version of Sonny, minus the tattoos of course.

Haha, I feel extra lame now.

by Jitendra Joshi Sun Mar 16, 5:10 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Hillary Clinton's White House campaign lashed out Sunday after a report said rival Barack Obama was preparing a "full assault" on her after unloading some embarrassments to his own campaign.

The feuding over the report in the Democrat's hometown newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, came as Republican nominee-elect John McCain polished his national security credentials on a surprise trip to Iraq.

"It is disappointing that a campaign that began by promising a politics of hope has come to this, that it is signalling and revelling in attacks on Senator Clinton's character," her communications director Howard Wolfson said.

"This is not the campaign they promised us," he said on a conference call.

The Tribune noted that Obama was now distancing himself from his fiery Chicago pastor, who argues in a newly unearthed video that the September 11 attacks of 2001 showed that "America's chickens are coming home to roost."

The Illinois senator had also sat down Friday for a grilling from Chicago reporters about his past ties to a city property developer, Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who is on trial for corruption in public contracts.

The Tribune report said Obama was "trying to air his dirty laundry ... as he prepares a full assault on Senator Hillary Clinton over ethics and transparency." It did not spell out what form that assault might take.

But earlier Sunday, Obama aides kept up a barrage of questioning over Clinton's tax returns, her records from her White House days, and possible ties to donors who gave generously to her husband Bill's presidential library.

"The Clinton campaign says she has been fully vetted but the truth is she is a veteran of non-disclosure," Obama chief strategist David Axelrod said.

"All of this has created a sense that there are things she wants the public not to know," he said.

And addressing the Clinton camp's battle to seat delegates from the pariah states of Florida and Michigan, Axelrod said: "You get the feeling they are literally trying to do anything to win this nomination."

The feistier tone between the campaigns belied a truce over Obama's pastor with Clinton supporters passing up repeating opportunities to decry the inflammatory language of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who said in the newly disclosed video that the 9/11 attacks were brought on by US "terrorism."

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the country's highest ranking elected Democrat, ruled out a "dream ticket" combining Obama and Clinton and said the party's nominee should be whoever leads in the final delegate count.

That would appear to favor Obama, while The New York Times reported that many Democratic "superdelegates" are loath for party grandees to overturn the will of the majority of voters at the August convention in Denver.

In the race for pledged delegates, Obama enjoys a lead of about 170 over Clinton. He has won double the number of states and is ahead in the national popular vote.

Speaking on ABC News, Pelosi said "if the votes of the superdelegates overturn what happened in the elections, it would be harmful to the Democratic Party."

"This is going to be over before we go to the convention... pretty soon, somebody will be far enough in front that this will come to an end," she said.

The next battle in the Democrats' nominating epic is Pennsylvania on April 22. But Obama is already campaigning in Indiana, which votes on May 6 along with North Carolina, in a sign that the race has weeks to go yet.

Clinton, dogged by her 2002 vote authorizing military force in Iraq, was due to give what her campaign called a "major policy address" on the war on Monday in Washington. The US-led invasion's fifth anniversary looms Thursday.

While the Democrats are sparring furiously over who would be the better commander-in-chief, McCain and two other pro-war senators arrived in Iraq on the first leg of a tour also taking him to the Middle East and Europe.

On CNN, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy accused McCain of heading over for a taxpayer-funded "photo op" instead of asking "hard questions" of the Iraqi government.

I think the title says it all. When you log on, what are your favorite pastimes? List 'em.

By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press Writer 32 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democratic Sen. Barack Obama assailed as "slice and dice" politics Geraldine Ferraro's assertion that he wouldn't be where he is in the presidential race if he weren't black.

The back-and-forth between the two Democratic trailblazers — Obama, seeking to be the nation's first black president, and Ferraro, who was the first woman on a major party presidential ticket in 1984 — continued for a second day as they made appearances on network and cable morning news programs.

"Part of what I think Geraldine Ferraro is doing, and I respect the fact that she was a trailblazer, is to participate in the kind of slice and dice politics that's about race and about gender and about this and that, and that's what Americans are tired of because they recognize that when we divide ourselves in that way we can't solve problems," Obama said on NBC's "Today" show.

Later, at a news conference in Chicago, Obama said he did not think Ferraro's comments were racist.

"I think that her comments were ridiculous. I think they were wrong-headed," he said. "The notion that it is a great advantage to me to be an African American named Barack Obama and pursue the presidency, I think, is not a view that has been commonly shared by the general public."

Ferraro, who was Walter Mondale's vice presidential running mate, said Wednesday that her remarks were not racist and had been taken out of context. She accused Obama's campaign of twisting her remarks to undercut his rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"I was talking about historic candidacies and what I started off by saying (was that) if you go back to 1984 and look at my historic candidacy, which I had just talked about all these things, in 1984 if my name was Gerard Ferraro instead of Geraldine Ferraro, I would have never been chosen as a vice presidential candidate," Ferraro said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "It had nothing to do with my qualification."

Ferraro said she has a 40-year history of opposing discrimination of all kinds, including race, and that she was outraged at criticism of her remarks by David Axelrod, Obama's chief media strategist, because he knows her and her record.

"David Axelrod, his campaign manager, has chose to spin this as a racist comment because everytime anybody makes a comment about race who is white — he did it with Bill Clinton, he was successful; he did it with (Pennsylvania governor and Clinton supporter) Ed Rendell, he was less successful; and he is certainly not going to be successful with me," Ferraro told CBS' "The Early Show." "He should have called me up ... He knows I'm not racist."

The controversy began Tuesday when the national media picked up on comments Ferraro made in an interview last week with the Daily Breeze newspaper in Torrance, Calif.: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

Ferraro said she stands by her assertion that Obama's success in the Democratic campaign is due "in part" to his race.

Obama, however, said that if someone in his campaign had suggested that Hillary Clinton "is where she is only because she is a woman" she would be offended.

Clinton has said she disagrees with Ferraro's remarks. In an interview with The Associated Press, she said, "It's regrettable that any of our supporters — on both sides, because we both have this experience — say things that kind of veer off into the personal."