Barack was today in London, enjoying some good weather (yep, it happens sometimes) and discussing some foreign policy. BBC News reports:
A beaming Gordon Brown welcomed his guest into No 10's rose-garlanded terrace. His meeting with Gordon Brown was a very British affair. The prime minister looked genuinely cheerful as he basked in the sunshine and the star power of the Democratic candidate.
... As they settled into wicker chairs, they shared cold drinks, a plate of chocolate biscuits and a discussion about foreign policy. Then came an unexpected walkabout among the tourists in Horse Guards Parade.
They do look pretty good together, don't they? A bit too good, some will say:
Downing Street appeared to be pushing protocol to the limit - but officials said the two men simply wanted to enjoy the sunshine and that it was raining when Senator McCain visited.
I left the Scottish Lowlands this morning and flew to Berlin to see the man. And let me tell you people that it sure was great! Lots of people were there, lots of different nationalities. There were many Germans and many Americans of course, but people had come from all over Europe to see Obama. I met Spaniards, Italians, Romanians, French, Czechs and British all very enthusiastic about Obama and the future he represents for all of us. I got lots of things to say about what I thought of the speech and about the reactions it inspired in the people around me, but I'll leave that for a more substantial diary that I will try to get together shortly. I'm completely shattered now so I just wanted to share some of the pictures I took with you. Hope you enjoy them!
Some of you might remember the twin electoral maps (map of the US, scaled according to electoral votes) for Barack Obama and for Hillary Clinton at the MyDD frontpage. I never liked them much, because there was no information on what polls where chosen for each State. Still, for months on end, the arguments at MyDD were centered on the fact that Hillary Clinton was gathering more electoral votes than Barack Obama.
Lo and behold, I opened the front page today, and it shows Barack Obama with 328 electoral votes as opposed to 210 for John McCain. If I do not remember wrong, that is more or less what Hillary Clinton had. It could be that Jerome is more prone to include favorable polls to Obama than before, but still the change is striking, since it's little over a week that Clinton's campaign suspension was announced. Talk of a unity bounce!
Gallup offers today a breakdown of the results of the survey that in recent days has shown Barack Obama establishing a lead of 6 to 7% over John McCain.
Since Hillary Clinton decided to concede the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama last week, Obama has established a lead over Republican John McCain in general-election polling. Obama's gains have come more from women than men, though he has picked up among both groups in recent days.
I haven't seen a diary on this story, so I thought I'll put it out there. Tell me if it has and I will delete. I have just read in a HuffPo (AP) article that Senator Edward Kennedy has left the Duke University Medical Center in Durham (NC), and has returned to Cape Cod.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy said it was "good to be home" after flying back to Massachusetts on Monday, one week after undergoing an aggressive and delicate surgery to treat a cancerous brain tumor.
I have to admit that I was very pessimistic about the success of the surgery, but it seems that it has gone very well:
"His doctors are pleased with his progress since surgery a week ago, and he will continue to recuperate at home before starting the next phase of his treatment," Kennedy's office said in a statement.
I very much wish Sen. Kennedy a quick and full recovery. I can not help being impressed by the resilience and fighting spirit he has shown, but I guess that is precisely what he is all about.
This is the result of a Gallup survey published today:
Large majorities of Democrats and independents, and even half of Republicans, believe the president of the United States should meet with the leaders of countries that are considered enemies of the United States. Overall, 67% of Americans say this kind of diplomacy is a good idea.
Among Democrats 79% think it's a good idea to meet with leaders of foreign countries considered as enemies of the US (with 19% thinking it's a bad idea). 70% of Independents believe it's a good idea and so do 48% of Republicans.
The poll was conducted May 19-21, so this is four to six days after Bush criticized the policy at the Israel's Knesset and McCain attacked Obama on the issue. This prompted a strong response from Obama as well as Clinton and other Democrats.
I have just noticed the MoveOn ad has been chosen after more than 1000 entries and 5.5 million votes have been cast. If it was already known, tell me and I will delete the diary. The ad pictures a Veteran that declares himself a Republican. It could have a strong impact, but it certainly is not what I was expecting it to be.
I have been wondering why the Obama campaign doesn't seem to be pouncing on the obvious explanation for the "cling" part of the speech: he was talking about people voting on issues like guns and religion, instead of their own economic interest. But it seems to me that the campaign is not trying to explain it, rather it's apologizing for this part. I have been asking this question in comments today, and I thank those who have answered. I was still puzzled and then a strange type of answer came to my mind when I saw this small audio clip that Veracifier just posted on You Tube:
I believe the Reverend Wright remarks that were publicized some weeks ago will be used extensively by 527 groups in the run-up to the general election. These can cause untold damage to Barack Obama's campaign unless we are able to neutralize their effects. One first step is for us to know more about Trinity and about Reverend Wright so that we can put the remarks into the larger context and give the true interpretation of their meaning.
I intend to write a series of diaries in order to focus resources on the issue and provide arguments and footage for ads and vote canvassers that might need to address the matter. You might want to subscribe if you are interested in the topic.
Please send me any information or links that you believe might help, and your comments and suggestions. I start off by reporting on the press conference that Trinity United Church of Christ held last Thursday. There are several important elements there that I think it's important we are aware of.
