TIME Magazine: Obama's Mother

Unlike her son who has been teased and queried about his middle name, Ann Soetoro had an unusual first name: Stanley. Her father wanted a boy.

"It turns out that Obama's nascent career peddling hope is a family business. He inherited it. And while it is true that he has not been profoundly tested, he was raised by someone who was.

In most elections, the deceased mother of a candidate in the primaries is not the subject of a magazine profile. But Ann Soetoro was not like most mothers."

Indeed, her son is not like most sons, either. Time magazine had put Obama on their cover in December 2007. Now, as we head for the Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd, the magazine turns to examine his mother in an article full of information about the woman who first shaped the person we know today as U.S. Senator Barack Obama.

find audacious blogs | read the TIME article | digg story

Obama to receive numerous PA endorsements today

Philly.com is reporting that a bevy of city and state elected officials - specifically, 6 Philadelphia City Council members, 3 state representatives, and state senators Shirley Kitchen and Vincent Hughes - are expected to endorse Barack Obama for president at the Philadelphia City Hall today. The state's governor and the mayor of Philly are both Clinton supporters, so the Democratic party in PA is clearly not of one mind on the presidential race.

Obama supporters seem to anticipate that the contest will go past the April 22 Pennsylvania primary: Cinco de Mayo fund-raisers are already in place on the Obama campaign site.

related blogs | read the original article | digg story

Olympic Torch not Coming To Downtown SF

The Olympic Torch is not coming to San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza
according to a source

There are too many protesters here and the crowd is intense and full
of both Chinese and Tibetan protesters.

At Coca Cola Stand at Olympic Torch Relay

This is but one of the scenes at this event which draws or has drawn
100,000 people. Every media person is here and both Chinese and
Tibetan Flags -- a sureal scene.

The number of Chinese supporters here is overwheming and in this area
but not outside of it far outnumber Tibetan supporters.

I do not think many of the Chinese supporters get it. They seem to
not want to discuss it.

Lady Calls for NBC Boycott

This woman at the event is holding up that sign you see...

Olympic Torch Relay Day - TShirt Sale

This guy is selling Free Tibet t shirts and the money goes to...him!!

Olympic Torch Relay Protest

I am on way to Embacadero on BART

Clinton "mis-speaks" About Obama's Iraq Record

Even if one were to employ this "Start Counting in January 2005" measurement she's suddenly using as a metric to attempt to prove she was against the Iraq war before Senator Obama was (yes, I know, it sounds fantastic, but work with me here) Clinton did not criticize the war in Iraq first.

Scrambling to support their boss's claim, Clinton campaign officials pointed to a statement Clinton issued on Jan. 26, 2005, explaining her vote to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State."The Administration and Defense Department's Iraq policy has been, by any reasonable measure, riddled with errors, misstatements and misjudgments," the January 2005 Clinton statement said. "From the beginning of the Iraqi war, we were inadequately prepared for the aftermath of the invasion with too few troops and an inadequate plan to stabilize Iraq."

Clinton is correct as quoted, and she certainly knows about misstatements. But, as reported by Jake Tapper on Political Punch, Senator Obama still offered his criticisms of the war in Iraq (directly to Secretary Rice) eight days earlier, during his first meeting with the Secretary of State as a new member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 18th.

Senator Clinton would be well advised to dispense with the tired platitudes, stop her premeditated posturing as we approach the Pennsylvania primaries in an attempt to appear more presidential than Obama and offer specific, concrete concepts about what she'd actually do to address the situation going forward. Voters are seeking more than politics as usual. Even Peter Idusogie, a candidate for congress from Minnesota, has advanced more cogent suggestions regarding the a resolution of our involvement there than Senator Hillary Clinton.

read Tapper's article | digg story

An Interview With Sarah Ann Hayes And Kelly and Rick Dobbins

Not to put too much pressure on her, but Sarah Ann Hayes is going to be the next big thing in female bodybuilding.

I met her at Gold's Gym where shes' being trained by my friends Rick and Kelly Dobbins in Oakland, CA, but she lives in Minnesota.

Obama Supporters. Home Made Signs

At the California State Democratic Convention I was struck over the
number of homemade Obama signs versus the machine printed Clinton
signs! That is a image that proves Barack's grass roots appeal!!

Zennie Will Mobile Live Blog From Olympic Torch Relay

I will use Blogger Mobile Live Blog to report from the SF Olympic
Torch Relay today. I will have. VIP seating in the sponsor area where
I will report on events and ask questions.

Sent from my iPhone

A380 Takes Off