Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Faith

2008-09-12T17:56:30Z

JohnI: No. Just NO. Homosexuals are devoid of feelings, including faith.

'''Faith''' is a uniquely [[Christian]] concept referring to a confidence or trust in a greater good as provided by the [[Lord]]. A classic statement of faith in the [[Bible]] was by the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] centurion of [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%208:5-10;&version=49; Matthew 8:5-10], who expressed his confidence that [[Jesus]] could cure his servant from a distance without even seeing him. [[Jesus]] repeatedly emphasized the importance and value of faith to his disciples.

'''Faith''' embodies more than belief in two significant respects. First, faith implies a causal role by the believer in an outcome, as in [[Peter]]'s walking on water based on his faith or in overcoming a personal fear. Second, faith implies advancement or accomplishment rather than wrongdoing.

'''Faith''' plays a central role in overcoming [[addiction]]. Virtually everyone is plagued by one or more addictions, and faith enables overcoming those weaknesses.

'''Faith''' is also helpful in overcoming fear, such as fear of public speaking, appearing on [[television]], or standing up to a [[bully]].

Opposites of '''faith''' include fear, anxiety, depression and lack of confidence. A lack of faith can be very harmful, leading to self-destructive behavior.

'''Faith''' is expressed in [[Greek]] using the term ''pistis'', and in [[Latin]] using the term ''fides''. Faith is mentioned in 229 verses in the [[New Testament]] ([[KJV]]), but only twice in the much larger [[Old Testament]] ([[KJV]]).<ref>http://www.crosswalk.com</ref> In attempt to convert [[Jews]] to [[Christianity]], [[Paul]] described [[Abraham]]'s willingness to sacrifice his beloved son [[Isaac]] to [[God]] as an act of [[faith]], though the [[Old Testament]] did not describe it with that term.

'''Faith''' is strengthened by prayer ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jude%2020;&version=9; Jude 20]). For those who strengthen their faith, [[Jesus]] promised "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."<ref>John 14:12 (NIV).</ref>
==Biblical examples==

Perhaps the greatest description of faith is Hebrews 11. It states: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."<ref>Hebrews 11:1 (NIV).</ref>

[[Paul]] indicated that faith itself is a gift of the [[Holy Spirit]]. 1 Corinthians 12:8-9 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit

As discussed above, a potential reference to faith is [[Genesis]] 22 where [[God]] tested [[Abraham]] by commanding him to sacrifice his only son [[Isaac]]. As Abraham prepared to do what God commanded -he was stopped.
Genesis 22:12
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." 

==Martin Luther on Faith==

Luther in his Table Talk papers writes this thought provoking and rather difficult passage on faith:

"This is the acme of faith, to believe that God, who saves so few and condemns so many, is merciful; that he is just who, at his own pleasure, has made us necessarily doomed to damnation, so that he seems to delight in the torture of the wretched and is more deserving of hate than of love. If by any effort of reason I could conceive how God, who shows so much anger and harshness, could be merciful and just, there would be no need of faith."

==Other Definitions and Religions==

Outside of [[Christianity]], faith is misused as a synonym for "belief". The [[Merriam-Webster]] dictionary, for example, includes this definition of faith: "a system of religious beliefs."<ref>http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/faith</ref>

Alternatively, faith often refers to a "firm belief in something for which there is no proof" or evidence.

In the [[Koran]], the concept of submission to [[Allah]] is mentioned 11 times, while the concept of faith in Allah is mentioned only once.

Etymologically, the word 'faith' is closely linked to the concept of "fidelity," which emphasizes commitment to something or someone, specifically [[Christ]]. Thus, faith is often understood to mean 'loyalty' to a particular view of [[divinity]]. Yet, faith can also be envisioned more broadly as a trust in [[providence]], as it entails an active role for the believer himself for advancing good.

The literary critic Harold Bloom distinguishes Christianity from the other two dominant monotheistic religions in his book Agon by contrasting them with Gnosticism:

"Gnosticism polemically is decidedly not a faith, whether in the Christian sense, pisits, a believing that something was, is, and will be so; or in the Hebraic sense, emunah, a trusting in the Covenant. If religion is a binding, then Gnosticism is an unbinding, but not for the sake of things or persons merely as they are. Gnostic freedom is a freedom for knowledge, knowledge of what in the self, not in the psyche or soul, is Godlike, and knowledge of God beyond the cosmos. But also it is a freedom to be known, to be known by God, by what is alien to everything created, by what is alien to and beyond the stars and the cosmic system and our earth."

Faith is emphasized in Christianity but is unrecognized by the worldview of [[Philosophical Skepticism|philosophical skepticism]].

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:religion]]
[[Category:philosophy]]

== External links ==
* Holding, James Patrick, [http://tektonics.org/whatis/whatfaith.html Fallacious Faith]
*[http://jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod/eng/finding-faith-in-christ/video/finding-faith-in-christ Finding Faith in Christ], video at ''JesusChrist.lds.org''

Debate:Why did God allow Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the Forbidden Tree?

2008-09-12T17:53:41Z

JohnI:

This is a question that has been stinging in my head for a while. Surely, God, being all knowing and omnipotent would have known Satan was in the garden, and he would have known with certainty that Eve was being tempted, but yet, he did nothing to prevent the fall of man. Yes, he warned Adam and Eve never to eat the fruit, yet they did, in spite of his will, but that is not the question being asked.

Thinking a bit more, why did God even place the tree in the Garden when he simply could have removed it or placed it somewhere else?

Please help, I am completly unsure what to think or believe. It pains me to think that an all-loving Lord stood by and watched as we gained original sin. [[User:JohnI|John]] 13:40, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

American History Lecture Three

2008-09-12T17:52:49Z

JohnI: /* The Articles of Confederation */ Taking a closer look

As we move into our third week, here is another set of tips on multiple-choice history questions. Learn and use these skills! They will be valuable not only for this class, but for all multiple choice exams:

1. '''Disqualify answer choices that contain language that is too sweeping''', such as "everyone" or "only". Here is an example. Question: "Why was George Washington elected president?" Possible answer choice: "Because everyone wanted him. Nope, not "everyone" liked George Washington. Here is another example. Question: "Why was slavery used?" Answer: "Solely because of greed." Nope. Not "solely" (or "purely" or "only”) because of greed. Some common "sweeping" words that signal an incorrect answer choice are: everyone, always, never, only, solely, purely, all and every.

2. '''Look for the answer choice that is the best fit to the question'''. The question is like a "lock" or "key hole", and you are looking for the answer (or the "key") that is the best fit. Matching the verb or concept behind the question with the best fitting verb or concept in the answer can help. For example, when a question asked about "exploration", the answer that said to "find the best route" was the best fit and the correct answer.

3. When a question completely baffles you, such as a question asking for a hidden political motive behind the "Wizard of Oz" movie, '''consider a possible economic (money-based) answer'''. Historical events and politics are motivated more by money than most students realize. When you're lost and can't explain why people did something, like have slaves, then think if there was a economic or financial motivation for owning slaves. There was: slaves were virtually free labor, and were more profitable to use than paying someone to do the job. Slave-owners became richer than many people who opposed slavery.

4. Finally, '''view multiple choice questions like a puzzle'''. Enjoy solving them. Don't let any test or question intimidate you. Multiple choice questions become much easier when you find a way to enjoy figuring out their puzzles.

==Review==

To learn history well, you must put yourself back at that time. Think of what it might have been like. Imagine it in your mind. Put yourself at the time and place of the Boston Massacre, for example. Try to see both sides of the conflict, and why people acted as they did. Why did the British soldiers shoot their guns? Because people were throwing snowballs at them, some containing rocks. Why were colonists throwing snowballs? Because they did not think the British soldiers should be there. Why were the British soldiers there? Because the King George III ordered them to be. And so on.

We discussed how England had reasons for imposing its direct taxation on the colonists, in order to pay for the [[French and Indian War]]. But how do we know the taxes were to pay for the war? Would that be all that the taxes would be paying for? Would the taxes cease when the war debt was paid? No, because that was a slippery slope. Most likely those taxes would never end, even after the war was fully paid.

Learn to use your imagination and common sense to understand history, and see the motivations on both sides of conflicts. One side may be completely wrong, but understand why it is motivated to act as it does. Often the reason is simple: to make more money.

Ask yourself this question: was the American Revolution a "conservative revolution?" It did not attempt to overthrow and remove King George III, who ruled for 60 years (including nearly 40 years after American Revolution). The American Revolution was not motivated to establish a brand new future with its own leader, and for years afterwards the colonies (then states) refused to have a president at all. Instead, the American Revolution was an attempt to restore the past of the colonies, and restore natural God-given rights as the colonists understood them. Regardless, the colonists won the revolution, and history becomes even more interesting as they decide what to do next.

==State Constitutions==

Soon after the end of the Revolution, all but two of the states adopted new constitutions. Rhode Island and Connecticut continued to use their charters, after removing all references to Britain.

All the constitutions then, and now, contain references to [[God]].<ref>http://www.usconstitution.net/states_god.html</ref> But some of the colonial constitutions had problems with their systems of government. People were still stirred up over the revolt, and their fear of a king or king-like ruler (such as a governor) came through in the states' constitutions.

Power was generally concentrated in the legislative branch. The concept of governors rankled with the states, after their bad experiences with governors appointed from England, who had absolute veto power. The colonists did not want so much power concentrated in the governor again, and their new governors had no veto powers at all. A bill because law as soon as the legislature passed it. In many cases, the governor was elected by the legislature as well.

Term lengths were further evidence of the problems with the new constitutions, as many governors served terms of only one year!

The courts lacked power just as the governors did. In Pennsylvania, the general assembly could remove judges at any time for vaguely defined "misbehavior". The situation was similar in Rhode Island. One judge decided that Rhode Island's attempts to force citizen to use paper money was unconstitutional. He and other judges who agreed with him were dismissed by the legislature.

The new state governments put in place after the war may have overreacted in avoiding the policies of the British. Similarly, it was not long before the federal government ran into problems of its own.

==The Articles of Confederation==

Before the war ended, the [[Continental Congress]] met to organize war efforts and address issues common to all the colonies. The Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and proposed the Articles of Confederation in 1777. The Declaration of Independence, which is honored by the holiday of July 4th each year, first coined the name the "United States of America": the "unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America." On November 15, 1777, the name was given to the new country when the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation. The first Article states: "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'"

So the [[Articles of Confederation]] established the [[United States of America]]. The Articles were ratified by all 13 colonies in 1781, and converted them from "colonies" into "states". But due to flaws in the Articles of Confederation, they lasted a short time, and were replaced by the Constitution in 1789 after only eight years.

The Articles provided for a unicameral (one body) Congress to govern the states. There was no president (imagine that!), but rather a committee formed of one representative from each state which wielded executive authority. There were no federal (national) courts (imagine that also!).

'''Debate: Does the United States need an office of president?'''

Nine (9) out of the 13 states' approval were needed to pass anything. And unanimous approval was required to amend the Articles. Those percentages were simply too high for a collection of states that were very different from each other. Now that the focus was off gaining freedom and onto building a new nation, the states had much less common ground.

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was given the power to declare war, raise and army and navy, make commercial treaties, borrow money, control currency, and levy assessments against the states. But Congress lacked the power to impose taxes on the people or enforce its will against states that refused to cooperate. It could ask the states for money, but could not force them to pay. The power to raise an army is almost meaningless without the means to raise money to pay the army. Thus, Congress under the Articles of Confederation was destined to be very weak from the beginning, and demands for a stronger form of national government began to grow. This was due in part to the fear the Founding Fathers had of a strong government, stemming from the power Britan had before the revolution.

==Problems with the Articles of Confederation==

Most power remained in each state under the Articles of Confederation. The national government could not raise money to pay its own obligations. It had no power or money in foreign relations. And its attempts to alter these problems lead to economic hardships.

Americans were very wary of centralized power after their bad experience with England, but they took this so far that the central government was essentially worthless, and each state did as it pleased. Newly free, the states were unstable and divided. The Confederation reflected this. The states were eager to control their own affairs, and they resisted giving up power to a central government. The Articles of Confederation reflected this independence. After all, just one state could stop an amendment to the articles.

The federal government did not have enough power to operate effectively in its foreign relations. After the war, the British continued certain trade restrictions involving America, and America was powerless to do anything about it. Americans continued to buy English imports at a furious rate, and this caused money to drain out of America.

In the Treaty of Paris, America had agreed to treat loyalists fairly and return their rights and belongings. Congress asked the states to do this, but several disobeyed with no consequences. Congress had no way to make the states obey the nation's commitment.

The British used this violation of the treaty to justify keeping forces stationed near the Great Lakes. America had claimed the territory where the British forts stood, but once again had no power to drive them out. So the British in America prospered by trading for furs with the Indians, although the territory they used belonged to the United States.

The new land that America had gained in the war was west of the Appalachian mountains. Thus, the most efficient way to transport goods out of that land was via the Mississippi River. But the Spanish claimed the territory west of the Mississippi and exclusive navigation of the river. Spain knew that it was temporarily secure in this assertion, as the United States was too weak to fight for its territory. Although John Jay attempted to negotiate, America had nothing to offer, and thus nothing changed.

Across the sea in the Mediterranean, American trade was interrupted by piracy off of the Barbary Coast (modern day Tunisia). Previously, America had been protected from the pirates by England, but now was obliged to pay its own way. But the government had no money to bribe or fight the pirates.

The weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation was overwhelmingly displayed in America's languishing foreign policy.

From the beginning, the Confederation had financial troubles, and its attempts to correct its deficiencies only made its problems worse. It attempts to gain money were uniformly unsound. Congress borrowed money from foreign countries, printed paper currency, and sold undeveloped western lands. None of these tactics were effective.

After the war, America had more that 35 million dollars in debt, and that number only continued to grow. The money from the sale of western land was paltry. It could have paid only one fourth of the government's current expenses. There were no national taxes, and requests for money from the states were ignored. The state governments were having financial difficulties of their own.

So Congress turned to paper money, and began to issue it in large amounts. Sudden inflation gave a brief image of prosperity, but as quickly as the money had inflated, it became worthless and was abandoned. People used European coins, made of gold or silver, as currency. Since there was much less of this money than there had been of the printed money, rapid deflation occurred, causing a depression.

Some states tried similar tactics, and Rhode Island tried to force citizens to use its paper money.

None of the paper money worked in the long run, but initially, it seemed like a success. Massachusetts was the only state that did not follow the trend for printed money. This sparked Shays' rebellion.

Keep in mind that conflicts over money were as important throughout history as it is today in families and personal relations. Whether or not money is the root of all evil, it is the root of many conflicts in history and shapes the course of human events. For example, there has always been constant conflict between people who owe money (debtors) and people who save or lend money (creditors). Farmers are often debtors and they have always had conflicts with banks, which lend them money. In colonial America, people who could not pay their debts went to jail, and this was known as "debtor's prison." The entire colony of Georgia was founded by people who had been in debtor's prison in England. The [[Founding Father]] who pay for [[George Washington]]'s troops in the American Revolution, [[Robert Morris]], ended up in debtor's prison for four years and died a few years after his release. Debtor's prison was not abolished in federal law until 1833 and by most the states soon afterwards.<ref>http://myvesta.org/history/history_debtorprison.html</ref> But even today one can be imprisoned for failure to make a payment that is ordered by a court.

'''Debate: Is Debtor's Prison Wrong?'''

==The Land Ordinance and The Northwest Ordinance==

Two of Congress's attempts to make money by selling land west of the Appalachians were the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. An "[[ordinance]]" is a new law, often one that concerns the regulation of land. These two ordinances were the only major laws enacted under the [[Articles of Confederation]].

The [[Land Ordinance of 1785]] provided for surveying and dividing territories west of the colonies into towns 6 miles square, and sold 640 acre chunks at auctions for a minimum of $1 per acre. Almost no one wanted too pay so much money in order to obtain much land, so these chunks were often bought and divided by investors, and then sold to farmers.
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was the most important achievement of the Confederation period. Keep in mind that the "northwest" in 1787 consisted of what is now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, which were territories northwest of the 13 colonies. This Ordinance established a way to create no less than three and no more than five new states. It established a three-stage process based on population for new states to be created and join the Confederation of colonies. It also specified what type of government the new territories and states must have, a requirement that would later become part of the [[U.S. Constitution]].

When a new territory in the "northwest" had less than 5000 adult free (non-slave) males, it was to be ruled by a governor, a secretary, and three judges appointed by Congress. When the population exceeded 5000, then they could elect a legislature (assembly) that could send a nonvoting person to Congress. A territory was required to have at least 60,000 free men living in it before it could apply for statehood, and slavery was prohibited north of the Ohio River. A republican form of government was required in order for a territory to become a new state.

The Northwest Ordinance was the first to protect territories against the taking of property by government without just compensation, which was later enacted as part of the Fifth Amendment. The Northwest Ordinance protected other individual rights that would later become part of the [[Bill of Rights]]: religious freedom, a right to a writ of habeas corpus (which enables anyone imprisoned to demand a hearing to argue to be freed) and trial by jury. In addition the ordinance encouraged education and forbade slavery.

The Northwest Ordinance was a huge success, establishing how new states could be created in a peaceful and orderly manner. This Ordinance was passed as the Constitutional Convention was going on. When the Articles of Confederation were replaced, the Ordinance was passed again under the new Constitution.

==Shays' Rebellion==

Shays' Rebellion was an armed revolt in Massachusetts that lasted from August 1786 until February 1787, demonstrating how weak and inadequate the national government was under the Articles of Confederation. The cause of the revolt was money. It was an armed uprising of Massachusetts farmers burdened with high debt. This was the first of many future clashes between Americans who owed money (debtors) and those who lent money (creditors). The farmers were angry that they had to pay back their loans in “specie” (gold or silver) rather than cheaper paper money. Every other state had issued paper money, and the sudden inflation that occurred appealed to the people of Massachusetts. Little did they know that the money would soon become worthless and lead to a depression.

The farmers lost their farms when they could not pay their loans, and because of that they lost their right to vote, because at the time only property owners could vote. They violently took over the town courthouse to prevent any additional court-ordered seizures of their farms. The Massachusetts governor sent in the militia but there were more farmers in the rebellion then there were in the militia. Daniel Shays then led 1200 men to Springfield to capture the federal arsenal, but by then there were enough state militiamen to win. Shays fled to the Vermont area. Everyone was panicked by this uprising, and a newly elected Massachusetts legislature subsequently enacted some debt relief.

This incident proved to many that a new government was necessary. In particular, this incident impressed upon George Washington himself that a stronger national government was needed. Later, when George Washington was president, he personally led a national army to easily put down a similar revolt in Pennsylvania (the Whiskey Rebellion).

==The Constitutional Convention==

It was economics and business concerns that sparked the first series call for a national convention to improve the Articles of Confederation. In September 1786, nine (9) states accepted Virginia's call for a national convention on the issue of interstate commerce, which was trade between the states. Under the Articles of Confederation, each state could impose taxes ("tariffs") on goods or merchandise shipped to it from another state, and these "tariff wars" disrupted the free market and impeded economic progress. But only five (5) states attended this "Annapolis Convention," so it was a failure. But it did something that proved to be historic: it called for another constitutional convention to be held in Philadelphia.

The Constitutional Convention convened in the summer of 1787 (May through September) in Philadelphia to strengthen the national government by modifying the Articles of Confederation. Note that the original goal was to fix the Articles of Confederation, not to replace them, but once at the convention the [[Founding Fathers]] decided to replace the Articles altogether. The Convention was one of the most important events in the history of mankind.

Every state sent representatives except Rhode Island. Some sources claim that Rhode Island's "[[separation of church and state]]" laid the foundation of the Constitution. But Rhode Island didn't even show up at the Constitutional Convention!

In total, 55 delegates from twelve states attended the Convention. The highest attendance and participation at the Constitutional Convention came from large states, particularly Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and South Carolina.

Key participants in the Constitutional Convention were James Madison, George Washington, [[Alexander Hamilton]], Benjamin Franklin. [[John Adams]] and [[Thomas Jefferson]] were overseas in diplomatic missions, Adams in England and Jefferson in France. Remember those alliances: Adams (and all of New England) was allied with England, while Jefferson (and much of Virginia) was allied with France.

[[George Washington]] reluctantly agreed to attend the convention, and was elected to preside. In another display of his remarkable self-sacrifice, Washington did not speak on the issues, because he felt this would be unsuitable for the chairman.

[[Benjamin Franklin]] was the oldest attendee, at 82. He had to be carried to meetings in a chair and wrote out his remarks so that others could speak for him. Nevertheless, his influence on the Convention was invaluable.

[[James Madison]] took copious notes during the deliberations and was a tireless worker. All his proposals were rejected, but he received the misnomer of "Father of the Constitution" because most of knowledge of the proceedings come from his notes.

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were bright, dedicated, and spiritual men. This was a very special event.

The deliberations were held in secret, without any news leaking to the reporters. This secrecy benefited the Convention because the delegates could proceed freely and try different ideas without fearing that their actions would be misunderstood by the public. Everyone was ordered to destroy their notes after the convention. James Madison, however, kept his and they were released when he died fifty years later. Those notes provide the knowledge we have about the debates that occurred during the Convention.

The Constitutional Convention was governed by strict rules. For example, "Every member rising to speak, shall address the President; and whilst he shall be speaking, none shall pass between them or hold discourse with another, or read a book, pamphlet or paper." Nothing was to be considered final until the entire Constitution had been written. Each state received one vote.

While most delegates agreed that stronger central government was necessary, they were uncertain how they could accomplish this without too much power. Their fear of the corruption power brings reflects the Christian beginnings of our nation. Christianity teaches that humans are sinful and prone to corruption. Very few religions teach that.

As the Constitutional Convention began, the delegates agreed that the Articles of Confederation had not created a functional government. Congress was in shambles, and so sporadically attended that between October 1785 and April 1786, it had the minimum attendance to business on only three days. The stated purpose of the Constitutional Convention was to "render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union."

Those words left the Convention somewhat open in terms of purpose. Delegates had a choice. First, they could amend the articles, this would be difficult however because unanimous approval from the states was required. Instead, they could draft a new constitution. Some questioned whether the Convention had authority to do this, but consensus was that a new constitution was the only choice.

Thus, the attendees did not limit their actions to fixing the Articles of Confederation. This same debate rages today by calls for a constitutional convention to balance the budget (1980s) or, more recently, to protect traditional marriage. There is no way to limit what a constitutional convention does. The only protection for the people is that the document still must be ratified by the states. This debate over whether a constitutional convention can be called for limited issue continues today, with many saying that there is never a way to limit a constitutional convention.

Dangers aside, the delegates knew that it was their task to write a new constitution. But what form of government would be sufficiently effective without being corrupted by power? Two plans attempted to answer this question.

The first was submitted by [[Edmund Randolph]] and was called the [[Virginia Plan]], or the Large States Plan because it was favored by the larger states. Our three branches of government originated in the Virginia Plan. Unlike the Articles of Confederation, this plan gave government the power to directly enforce laws. The Virginia Plan assigned delegates to both houses of Congress (a "bicameral" legislature) based on a state's population, and the legislature selected the chief executive (president) and the judges. The Virginia Plan contributed much to the finished Constitution, although Edmund Randolph refused to sign it in the end.

In June 1787, William Paterson next proposed the [[New Jersey Plan]], which was more favorable to the small states and which departed less from the Articles of Confederation. This plan was favored by small states because each state was represented equally in Congress. This allowed small states to have an equal amount of power. The Virginia plan, in contrast would have allowed large states much more power that small ones because representation in Congress was based on population.

This issue may have been the most difficult to resolve in the entire Convention, and for weeks, there was no progress. Then Benjamin Franklin proposed that each day be opened by prayer. He said, "In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection. - Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.... And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance? I have lived, Sir a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probably that an empire can rise without His aid?" Benjamin Franklin's greatest contribution to the Convention was not his ideas, but his wise advice.

Franklin's word had an impact when after many weeks of argument, a compromise was reached. In July 1787, Connecticut delegate Roger Sherman proposed the Connecticut Plan, in which representation in the House would be proportional to population, and representation in the Senate would be 1 vote per state. This became the Great Compromise or the [[Connecticut Compromise]], and resolved that Congress would have one house with equal representation and one house with representation based on population. This compromise became part of the Constitution (with the change that there would be two votes per state), and today we have both Senate and the House of Representatives.

This compromise reflected the spirit of the Constitutional Convention. Disagreements arose on a myriad of issues. Again and again, the delegates compromised, gradually formulating the Constitution that we still use today.

Another compromise was required, this time between the North and the South, over the issue of whether slaves should be counted in determining how many congressmen a State could have in the House of Representatives. Representation was in proportion to population, but the North opposed counting slaves because that would give the South more power than if slaves were not counted. The "Three-Fifths Compromise" counted slaves as three-fifths of a free man for the purpose of determining how many representatives a State would have in the House of Representatives (Art. I, Section 2, Paragraph 3):

:"Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons."

And there was one additional compromise on slavery: the new Congress could not ban the importation of slavery for 20 years, until 1808.

After all the compromises most (but not all) agreed to the final form of the new Constitution, and it was sent to the states for ratification.

The government established by the Constitution is not easily classified, but rather a mixture of other forms of government. At the time, nearly every county in the world was a monarchy. Many elements make American government the first of its kind.

The Constitution breaks government into three separate branches that can check and balance each other. If one branch grabs too much power, then the other two can work together to stop it.

The three branches are these:

The Legislative Branch makes the laws. Congress is established in Article I of the Constitution. The Executive Branch carries out the laws. The President's powers are established in Article II. The Judicial Branch interprets the laws. The Supreme Court is established in Article III.

Article IV of the Constitution outlines the relationship between the federal (national) government and the states.

Article V outlines the procedures for amending the Constitution, contrary to the Articles of Confederation, unanimous consent of the states is not required for an amendment.

Article VI declares the Constitution the supreme Law of the Land.

Article VII provides for the procedure to ratify the Constitution.

The Constitution itself (before passage of the Bill of Rights adding the first ten amendments) contains several important protections of individual rights, including a right to a jury trial and a prohibition on any bill of attainder, which was a practice in England whereby the legislature would punish an individual by naming him in legislation. Under the Constitution, only courts can punish ordinary citizens.

Every state except Rhode Island held a ratifying convention to consider adopting it. Many small states ratified the Constitution quickly (the first state to ratify it was Delaware), because they liked the idea of having equal representation in the Senate. But bigger states, such as [[Virginia]] and [[New York]], were more reluctant to give up their power to a national government.

Massachusetts ratified the Constitution only after the Antifederalists Samuel Adams and John Hancock negotiated a compromise (the "Massachusetts Compromise") guaranteeing that the new Congress would consider amendments to establish a Bill of Rights. After that nearly all the ratifications by other states also demanded amendments as part of their ratifications.

To persuade New Yorkers to ratify the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay anonymously wrote the Federalist papers, which were a series of editorials that ran in a prominent New York newspaper. Most famous of these is Madison’s Federalist No. 10: "Among the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction." Madison's insight was that a new United States of America, with its large size and separation of powers, could protect freedom against the tyranny of a small group better than individual colonies could. The Federalist papers set forth the arguments to be used by supporters of the Constitution to obtain ratification in Virginia and New York, and the many other states that had not yet ratified. Later, the Federalist papers became a reference source for courts in interpreting what the Constitution means.

The debate over ratification pitted the Federalists (for example, Alexander Hamilton) against the Anti-Federalists (for example, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams and John Hancock). Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists opposed it, primarily because it lacked a bill of rights.

The Federalist served mainly as a debater's handbook for Federalist delegates in the Virginia and New York conventions, becoming a classic work of American political thought and the foremost commentary on the Constitution only after the ratification controversy.

The ninth state ([[New Hampshire]]) ratified the new Constitution on June 21, 1788, the Constitution became law of the land. Shortly afterward, New York and Virginia followed.

The final two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island, still opposed the Constitution and did not ratify it until George Washington began serving as president. North Carolina ratified it in 1789 and Rhode Island, wanting its power to tax imports, did not ratify it until the other 12 states threatened to boycott it if it did not adopt the Constitution. Rhode Island ratified it in 1790.

The first ten amendments -- the Bill of Rights -- was passed by the first Congress in 1789 and ratified by all the states by 1791. New Jersey was the first to ratify the Bill of Rights.

==George Washington's Presidency==

[[George Washington]] was so popular and respected that he probably could have become king. He was in his fifties, about the age of our President Bush. Even if Washington did not become king, he could have ruled as president for the rest of his life. But his greatness was, like Jesus, in his declining power that was available to him in order to advance a greater good. Washington was inaugurated as president in 1789 and voluntarily gave up power in 1797 at the age of 65 - seven years younger than presidential candidate John McCain. He set an unwritten tradition that was followed by every president until Franklin Roosevelt. The two-term tradition would be enshrined in the consitution in 1951<ref>http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html</ref>

An example of Washington’s greatness was his handling of "Citizen" Edmond Genet (pronounced zhe – nay), who was sent by France to the United States just after the French Revolution. France felt that the United States owed it assistance after all France did to help us win the Revolutionary War. But Washington wanted to stay out of foreign conflicts. But Genet went around our new country stirring up pro-French sentiment with impassioned speeches. He sent out private American citizens to attack British shipping (called “privateers,” but acting like pirates). Washington told Genet to stop this, but he refused. Washington told France to recall him. But the French Revolution got out of hand, with senseless violence and executions. “Citizen Genet,” as he was known, reasonably feared the guillotine if he returned to France. He begged Washington to grant him asylum in this country. Washington did. Genet later married the daughter of the governor of New York, and became a normal farmer.

Another example of George Washington's greatness was his handling of the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested a 7-cent per gallon tax on corn whiskey. These farmers refused to pay the tax, retaliated against farmers who did pay it, and attacked U.S. marshals and revenue agents. Washington told the Pennsylvania governor to end the rebellion, but he refused. Washington himself then raised an army from neighboring states and personally rode out as their leader to quell the rebellion. The farmers gave up without bloodshed. Several were caught, tried and convicted for their rebellion. What did Washington do? He pardoned them. The successful suppression of this rebellion established the power of the federal government in the eyes of the people, and let people know that they should not challenge the president.

The first major legislative accomplishment of the "Washington Administration" (the name given to the government under a president) was the Judiciary Act of 1789, which established federal court system. Later, in the first major ruling of the Supreme Court in 1803, the Court declared a small portion of this Act unconstitutional in ''Marbury v. Madison''.

In 1790, George Washington's top aide and the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, gave a report on public credit to Congress. Hamilton urged Congress to create a national bank run by a private board of directors. Thomas Jefferson, who was a rival of Hamilton, opposed establishing a national bank, arguing it was not authorized by the Constitution. But Hamilton persuaded Washington based on the "necessary and proper" clause (implied powers) of the Constitution. Accordingly, in 1791 Hamilton was successful in persuading Congress to establish the First Bank of the United States, pursuant to the Bank Act.

Hamilton had other achievements with Washington's support. In the "compromise of 1790," Hamilton arranged for the South to agree to the federal assumption of state debts in exchange for the North agreeing to a southern location for the new capital (the District of Columbia). In 1791, Hamilton laid out a plan for government encouragement of industry. This plan was not as successful as Hamilton's other efforts.

In 1793, President Washington issued "Washington's Neutrality Proclamation,"
which established the neutrality of the United States in the French Revolution, despite our alliance with France. This was consistent with Washington's view that the United States should not entangle itself in foreign matters.

In 1794 and 1795, President Washington averted averted a second war with Britain over conflicts in the Northwest and shipping. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay (one of the three authors of the Federalist papers) persuaded the British to leave the Northwest posts, but Jay accepted continuing humiliation of the United States by British naval supremacy. This weak treaty ("Jay's Treaty") greatly angered many Americans.

There were also conflicts between Congress and the President. Due to the American outrage, Congress demanded that President Washington provide papers relating to Jay's Treaty so everyone could see how this happened. But Washington refused, and established the principle of "Executive Privilege" of President: the President does not take orders from Congress and does not have to produce executive-type documents to it. Being George Washington and having suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion, no one was going to challenge him on this!

A treaty that was more successful than Jay's Treaty was Pinckney's Treaty in 1795, whereby Spain gave the United States the right to navigate the Mississippi River, and Spain accepted a border between the United States and Spanish Florida (remember, Florida was not an English settlement and was not part of the United States then).

In 1796, Washington was up for reelection. He then did something that no leader of a revolution has ever done: he gave up his power for the good of others. He left by publishing one of the greatest documents in all of American history: Washington's farewell address. Written by [[Alexander Hamilton]], this [[Farewell Address]] urged Americans to stay out of conflicts in Europe, in part to avoid the divisive effects such conflicts have on Americans (e.g., some rooted for England and others for France). Washington also reminded Americans that morality is the foundation of a prosperous society: "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports."

Several other important things happened during the presidency (the Administration) of George Washington. The Bill of Rights passed in 1791 to limit the federal government. The rivalry grew between [[Alexander Hamilton]], who favored a strong national government, and [[Thomas Jefferson]], who favored states' rights.

'''Debate: compare the views of [[Alexander Hamilton]] (the federal government has whatever powers are not denied to it, such as the power to establish a national bank, by virtue of the "elastic" or "necessary and proper" clause of the Constitution) to the views of [[Thomas Jefferson]] (the federal government has only the powers expressly given it). Which one was right?'''

== Other Events of the 1790s ==

Two other events of the 1790s were significant, though unrelated to President Washington or Congress. In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which is a mechanical way to separate cotton from its thorny branch and seeds. The cotton gin enabled a machine to do the work of 50 men, and greatly increased cotton production by the South. It turned the South into the powerful economic force and made it a major source of cotton production in the entire world. By the time of the [[Civil War]], the South thought it was invincible due to its ability to produce cotton.

Also in 1793, the new U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision named ''Chisholm v. Georgia'', which for the first time allowed a lawsuit to be filed in a new federal court against one state by a citizen of a different state. This outraged the states and was considered an "activist" decision by the Supreme Court. Within two years Congress passed and more than 3/4 of the states ratified the [[Eleventh Amendment]] to the Constitution to overturn this decision. This demonstrated a "check and balance" on Supreme Court power.

==The Presidency of John Adams==

[[John Adams]], born to a prosperous farmer in Massachusetts, became president the second president of the United States after George Washington, who was a "tough act to follow" (i.e., no one could be as respected as Washington was). John Adams was elected president as the Federalist Party's candidate in 1796, and served from 1797-1801.

He served just one term (four years) and his presidency was a failure due primarily to foreign policy humiliations. The problem was that no one in Europe respected this new country called the United States, and Adams had to deal with that lack of respect. For example, in 1798 there was the "XYZ Affair," in which American diplomats went to France to demand an end to French attacks on American ships. Instead of being received in a dignified manner, three French agents referred to anonymously as "XYZ" demanded that a bribe be given to them in order to consider the American request. News of this demand for a bribe reached the United States and it was humiliating.

Adams did not handle the criticism of him well. Recall that he was from Puritan Massachusetts, where it was customary to exclude or even hang someone who challenged authority. Adams' reaction to unfavorable statements about him was to sign the Alien & Sedition Acts, which made it a crime to criticize him!

Actually, it was more complex that than. The Federalist Party, which Adams led, wanted to censor and weaken the opposition party, known as the Democratic-Republican Party. The Alien & Sedition Acts were designed to weaken the Republican Party, which had [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]] as its leaders. The Alien Act gave the president the power to expel aliens (immigrants) from the country, and the Sedition Act made it a crime to impede any law or utter criticism of high government officials like Adams. The Sedition Act was obviously unconstitutional under the First Amendment protection of free speech, at least by today's standards.

Jefferson and Madison responded by drafting strong state resolutions (Kentucky and Virginia, respectively) to "nullify" or declare the Acts unconstitutional, viewing the act primarily as an attack on their Democratic-Republican party by Adams' Federalists. They invoked state sovereignty, claiming that a state does not have to obey an unconstitutional federal law. This unintentionally provided a basis for states in the South later to try to "nullify" other federal laws, leading to the Civil War.

'''Debate: Can a State nullify an act of Congress? Can a State secede (withdraw) from the United States?'''

The Adams Administration went from bad to worse. In 1798 through 1800, there was an undeclared naval war with France, which was the result of the United States aligning itself with France's enemy, England, on the high seas. Specifically, American accepted British naval protection, and that resulted in conflicts with the French. (England and France were enemies throughout the 1700s and 1800s).

One final act by President Adams angered his political opponents further. There was a five-month delay between the presidential election and the swearing in of a new president (the gap is only about two months now). After Thomas Jefferson crushed Adams in the election of 1800, Adams appointed a bunch of "midnight judges" just before Adams was replaced by Jefferson. Jefferson was so angry by this "lame duck" action (something done by a politician after he is defeated before just before he is replaced by the winner) that Jefferson refused to pay these judges.
[[Category:United States History]]

User talk:JohnI

2008-09-12T17:49:36Z

JohnI:

{{welcome}}
And if you hadn't noticed, here are the "[[Conservapedia:Commandments|Basic Guidlines]]" o.O [[User:NathanG|Nate]][[User_talk:NathanG|my opinion matters?]] 22:13, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

=={{ vs. [[==
Hi - the categories looked ok, you just need to use [[ , instead of {{.
ah - you beat me to it. ^-^ --[[User:JessicaT|KotomiT]][[User talk:JessicaT|''Hajimemashite!'']] 13:48, 12 September 2008 (EDT)
:Yes, I did manage to figure it out, more by chance than anything else. Regardless, thank you for your message and your help. =[) [[User:JohnI|John]] 13:49, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

Faith

2008-09-12T17:47:41Z

JohnI: Undo revision 515258 by Omgwtfjezuziskwl (Talk)

Millennial Reign

2008-09-12T17:47:12Z

JohnI: /* See also */

The '''Millennial Reign''' refers to the [[Bible|Biblically]]-prophesied era in which [[Jesus|the Lord]] will reign over Earth, spreading His freedom and justice. This era will be ushered in following the conclusion of the [[Battle of Armageddon]].

However, the exact date of the Lord's return to [[Earth]] is still unknown, and has been anticipated and [[prophesy|prophesied]] many times throughout history, thus far, without success.

==See also==
*[[Antichrist]]
*[[God]]
*[[Satan]]
[[Category:Philosophy and Religion]]

Millennial Reign

2008-09-12T17:47:00Z

JohnI:

The '''Millennial Reign''' refers to the [[Bible|Biblically]]-prophesied era in which [[Jesus|the Lord]] will reign over Earth, spreading His freedom and justice. This era will be ushered in following the conclusion of the [[Battle of Armageddon]].

However, the exact date of the Lord's return to [[Earth]] is still unknown, and has been anticipated and [[prophesy|prophesied]] many times throughout history, thus far, without success.

==See also==
[[Antichrist]]
[[God]]
[[Satan]]
[[Category:Philosophy and Religion]]

Millennial Reign

2008-09-12T17:45:36Z

JohnI:

Millennial Reign

2008-09-12T17:44:30Z

JohnI: whoops

Millennial Reign

2008-09-12T17:44:16Z

JohnI: I am seeing if these categories work.

The '''Millennial Reign''' refers to the [[Bible|Biblically]]-prophesied era in which [[Jesus|the Lord]] will reign over Earth, spreading His freedom and justice. This era will be ushered in following the conclusion of the [[Battle of Armageddon]].

However, the exact date of the Lord's return to [[Earth]] is still unknown, and has been anticipated and [[prophesy|prophesied]] many times throughout history.

{{Category:Religion}}{{Category:Good}}{{Category:Evil}}

Debate:Why did God allow Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the Forbidden Tree?

2008-09-12T17:40:55Z

JohnI: New page: This is a question that has been stinging in my head for a while. Surely, God, being all knowing and omnipotent would have known Satan was in the garden, and he would have known with certa...

This is a question that has been stinging in my head for a while. Surely, God, being all knowing and omnipotent would have known Satan was in the garden, and he would have known with certainty that Eve was being tempted, but yet, he did nothing to prevent the fall of man. Yes, he warned Adam and Eve never to eat the fruit, yet they did.

Thinking a bit more, why did God even place the tree in the Garden when he simply could have removed it or placed it somewhere else?

Please help, I am completly unsure what to think or believe. It pains me to think that an all-loving Lord stood by and watched as we gained original sin. [[User:JohnI|John]] 13:40, 12 September 2008 (EDT)

Millennial Reign

2008-09-12T17:32:02Z

JohnI: It's a start... Could I have someone please perform a spell check on what I have written so far?

The Millennial Reign refers to the Bibical prophesisd era in which the Lord will reign over Earth, spreading His freedom and justice. This era will be ushered in after the conclusion of the [[Battle of Armageddon]]. The exact date in which the Lord will choose to return is unknown, and has been anticipated many times throughout history.

PZ Myers

2008-09-12T03:13:44Z

JohnI:

'''Paul Zachary Myers''', better known as '''PZ Myers''', is a [[liberal]] [[evolutionist]] activist in the [[creation-evolution controversy]], contributing to [[The Panda's Thumb (blog)|The Panda's Thumb]] and [[Pharyngula (blog)|Pharyngula]] blogs. Myers is also an associate [[professor]] of [[biology]] at the [[University of Minnesota Morris]] (UMM)<ref name="citypages">[http://citypages.com/databank/26/1303/article13908.asp?page=1 ''The Mad Scientist''] City Pages, Volume 26 - Issue 1303, November 23, 2005 Cover story</ref>

PZ Myers commented, while listening to [[Michael Behe]] lecture on [[Intelligent design]], that "In science, we scream a lot."<ref name="citypages"/> According to ''Evolution News'', he opposes democratically-elected school boards deciding how evolution should be taught; feeling that it should instead be done by "Scientists with years of training in the subject, and qualified science teachers who understand the fundamentals of the theory." <ref>Egnor, Michael [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2007/12/pz_myers_darwinists_know_whats.html ''P.Z. Myers: Darwinists Know What’s Best for Your Children''] Evolution News December 18, 2007</ref>

== Militant atheism ==

Myers is an outspoken [[atheism|atheist]] who has openly advocated the elimination of religion, likening it to illiteracy.<ref>http://www.atheistrev.com/2008/03/pz-myers-on-eliminating-religion.html</ref>
His language is extremely militant at times, and laced with expletives. In a diatribe in which he described those who believe in the Bible as "lunatics" and "bigots," Myers said:

{{QuoteBox|I say, screw the polite words and careful rhetoric. It's time for scientists to break out the steel-toed boots and brass knuckles, and get out there and hammer on the lunatics and idiots.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20070420142719/http://pharyngula.org/index/weblog/comments/perspective/</ref>}}

PZ Myers frequently rants against religion, religious people, and religious institutions (e.g. churches) on his blog. Myers has called evangelical Christianity "a blight upon the earth,"<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2006/03/left_or_right_religion_and_pol.php/</ref> religious people "ignorant, deluded, wicked, foolish, or oppressed victims of obsolete mythologies,"<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/07/im_surrounded.php</ref> and considers every church to be a "parasitic institution that contributes nothing to the tax base and encourages further ignorance in the population."<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/07/how_do_you_save_small_town_cha.php</ref>

Unsurprisingly, Myers' radical, hateful views on religion and religious people are [[Examples_of_Bias_in_Wikipedia|whitewashed from the Wikipedia article about him]] by pro-evolution/anti-Creationism/anti-Intelligent Design editors who are his fans. Also, the page that describes Conservapedia on Wikipedia, PZ Meyers is listed as a critic of Schlafly for his (Schlafly's) pursuit of Lenski's raw data.

=== Debating ===

In January 2008, Myers participated in a debate with Discovery Institute fellow Geoffrey Simmons on KMMS. He was unable to counter criticisms of the fossil record, in particular the absence of transitional forms in the whale fossil record. Geoffrey was invited back for an hour long talk the next week. PZ Myers now refuses to debate creation scientists.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk5Y3VoBeVQ</ref>

=== ''Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed'' ===

Myers appeared in the film ''[[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]''. In the film, Myers compared religion to knitting and said it should be nothing more than "something fun that people get together and do on the weekend and really doesn't affect their life as much as it has been so far."<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHiZjOH1NmQ</ref> Up to and after the release of the film, PZ Myers viciously attacked the film and its makers many times and engaged in bizarre behavior. Two of the most notable incidents involved his failed attempt to gate-crash a showing of the film at the [[Mall of America]]<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/science/21expelledw.html</ref> and his crashing and disruption (including plugging himself) of a conference call held by ''Expelled'''s producers after calling in early (likely to eavesdrop) and overhearing and then dishonestly using the phone code that allowed two-way communication.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYAblaZmogA</ref><ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/03/i_always_aim_to_misbehave.php</ref> Most bizarrely, in the latter incident, Myers interruption of the producers' call began with his referring to himself in the third person, probably in an attempt to conceal both his identity and the fact that he used a phone code he was not authorized to use.

=== Communion host ===

On July 8, 2008, PZ Myers posted an entry attacking Roman Catholic beliefs regards Communion. He was reacting to a news story, in which a student at the University of Central Florida described a physical confrontation over his failure to consume a communion wafer.<ref>'Body Of Christ' Snatched From Church, Held Hostage By UCF Student, July 5, 2008[http://www.wftv.com/news/16798008/detail.html]</ref><ref>'Body Of Christ" Returned To Church After Student Receives Email Threats, July 7, 2008[http://www.wftv.com/news/16806050/detail.html]</ref> After ridiculing some people as "petty, hateful, and stupid," and asserting that "nothing makes them stupider than religion," Myers requested that his readers steal consecrated Communion wafers for him, so that he could desecrate them on camera. This rant predictably resulted in a strongly negative response from Catholics and those who support freedom of religious expression <ref>http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1459</ref>; Myers has since complained about the "hate mail" and "death threats" he has received, comparing the defense of Communion to a "witch hunt." To date, the University of Minnesota has not taken official action against Myers for his inflammatory remarks, other than to remove the link to his blog from his faculty page.<ref>http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1460</ref> PZ Myers followed through with his threat, desecrating a eucharist and tearing out pages of a copy of the [[Koran]] and a copy of [[Richard Dawkins]]' ''The God Delusion''.<ref>http://discoverthefaith.com/2008/07/26/update-on-professor-myers-desecration-of-eucharist/</ref>

Meanwhile, Myers posted two vitriolic emails he had received and included the email addresses where they supposedly had come from. Predictably, his readers responded with their own threatening and harassing emails even though at the time it was not clear whether or not the email addresses (one of which was allegedly from someone at 1-800-Flowers) had been spoofed.<ref>The husband of the user of the the 1-800-Flowers address subsequently owned up to sending the e-mail. (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/071608-woman-fired-over-death-threat.html) The account owner was fired by the company. Myers commented on the firing, saying, "She apparently did something stupid, which I don't have sympathy for. I would just rather not see people getting fired over an e-mail message." (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/071608-woman-fired-over-death-threat.html?page=2)</ref>
Myers attempted to save face, claiming that the unsurprising behavior by his readers was not the intent behind his posting of the email addresses, and called for his readers to stop "dunning these people with email, threatening them back, signing them up for spam, or otherwise being a jerk." These pleas fell on deaf ears, while PZ Myers continued to avoid doing the obvious thing in simply removing the email addresses from his blog.<ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/07/stop_it_now_please.php</ref><ref>http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/07/mail_dump.php</ref>

==References ==
{{reflist}}

==External Links==
*[http://www.scienceblogs.com/pharyngula Pharyngula]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers, Paul Zachary}}

[[Category:Evolution]]
[[Category:Biologists]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Truth

2008-09-11T20:03:46Z

JohnI: There was a "." tucked in next to the "!"

'''Truth''' is a term used to stand for very different concepts. Commonly it is used to mean "correspondence with facts", but often to signify "good" or "just". Jesus Christ, in saying "...I am the way, and the truth, and the life..." is clearly not claiming that he corresponds to facts! Alternatively "truth" and "true" are often used rhetorically to distinguish between a common held concept and the arguers preferred alternative. Repressive regimes will thus counter pleas for freedom by claiming that they allow "true" freedom, dictatorships will claim to be "true" democracies. This Conservapedia entry focuses on the concept of truth as correspondence with the facts.

== Difficulties ==
What is meant by "the facts"? Often the term "fact" is thought to mean "something that is true". If truth is then defined as correspondence to the facts the whole descends into cirularity. This gives rise to the "paradoxes of truth" such as:

<blockquote>
'''Liar paradox:''' This sentence is false
</blockquote>

If the sentence is false then it correctly describes itself and is, therefore, true. On the other hand if it is true it mis-describes itself and is, therefore, false.

[[Alfred Tarski]], in attempting to formulate a conception of truth that avoided these paradoxes, formulated a way of seperating the concept of truth from "the facts" it was to represent. His ''Semantic Theory of Truth'' held that truth was part of a meta-language, a language that talks about basic languages. The basic languages, known as "object languages" describe, or purport to decribe, the state of the world. The meta-language then descibes whether or not the basic language has succeeded. [[Karl Popper]] recommended thinking of the languages in terms of two different natural languages. <ref>Popper, K.R. ''The Open Society and It's Enemies, Vol 2.'' Routledge. London. 1966. p 369-396</ref>. Take, for example, French as the basic language and the statement:

<blockquote>
'''Object language statement''': La niege est blanc
</blockquote>

This makes a statement about the world. A good many statements may be made about this statement (meta statements), one of which would be whether it is true or not. Reverting to English we may say:

<blockquote>
'''Meta-language statement:''' "La niege est blanc" is true if, and only if, the snow is white
</blockquote>

It can be readily seen that the English statement above is not a statement about the world, but a statement about the French phrase and its ''relation'' to the world. It is a meta-statement and is true or false depending on the meaning of the French phrase rather than the actual state of the world. The English phrase would be true even if snow where turquoise.

If the liar paradox is recast in this way the paradox disappears. "Cet enonce est faux" purports to accuratey describe the world, but does it? What conditions can we attach to it, in the meta-language, to determine when it is true and false? ""Cet enonce est faux" is true if and only if it describes a state of the world which is not the case" or, alterntively, ""Cet enonce est faux" is false if and only if it describes a state of the world which is the case". As the statement "cet enonce est faux" fails to describe a state of the world it can be neither true nor false: it is simply a meaningless string of words.

== Truth as a Value ==
Truth can be considered to be a morally desirable trait in a person, since it the antithesis of "undesirable" traits such as deceit or corruption. Christians in particular uphold Truth as a desirable value, since it is something taught by the Bible, and Jesus himself.

==Opponents==
Several opponents of truth exist, such as [[communist]] [[China]] and [[Adolph Hitler]]s [[Nazi Germany]], both of which advocates the wide use of [[censorship]]. Incidentaly, many [[liberals]] also advocate the use of [[censorship]] in the form of [[political correctness]]. Former [[Vice President]] and notorious [[liberal]] [[Al Gore]] made several untruthful claims in his documentary [[An Inconvenient Truth]]. Many liberals mock Truth by coining terms like "truthiness" (Stephen Colbert) to deride the real nature of truth.

==See also==
*[[God]]
*[[Jesus Christ]]
*[[Holy Spirit]]
*[[Postmodernism]]
*[[Relativism]]

==External links==
*http://www.iep.utm.edu/t/truth.htm
*http://www.christianity.co.nz/truth1.htm
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/truth/ What Liberals Say - Category: Truth], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Attributes of God]]

Essay:Rules of Chivalry for Students

2008-09-03T23:37:24Z

JohnI: Undo revision 510332 by SimonPrc (Talk) - liberal vandal

Teenagers (and adults) would benefit from a bit more [[chivalry]] in their behavior. For students, here are some suggested guidelines:

== Boys ==

#When you see a girl carrying something heavy, offer to carry it for her.
#Stand up when a girl or woman enters the room.
#Speak in a respectful manner in front of a girl.
#Be appreciative when girls bake cookies for the entire class.
#Compliment girls (appropriately).
#Refrain from staring, commenting or whistling at attractive girls.
#Open doors for girls and help them to sit down.
#If on a date with a young lady, behave with respect and decorum. Imagine how you would feel if she were your sister.

== Girls ==

#Put your superior social skills to good use by welcoming others.
#Do not attempt to embarrass a boy, as in trying to beat him in arm-wrestling or bragging that you did better on a test.
#Avoid excessive [[gossip]].
#Dress modestly, not provocatively or suggestively.
#Avoid profanity.

[[Category:Essays]]

United States Presidential Election, 2008

2008-09-03T23:32:47Z

JohnI: /* McCain vs. Obama */

[[Image:Presidential election map.gif|right|thumb|350px|Battleground states]] {{move|United States presidential election, 2008}}

The '''2008 United States Presidential Election''' is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref> The primary season for both the [[Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party]] officially began on January 3, 2008 with the [[Iowa Caucus]]es and ended on June 3, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref> The 2008 election cycle has seen a major shift to the primary election calendar, frontloading many primaries into early February.<ref>http://www.miamiherald.com/515/story/43160.html</ref> [[Barack Obama|Senator Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]] is the [[Democratic Party]] nominee, with Senator [[Joe Biden]] of [[Delaware]] being his Vice Presidential running mate. They are the first Democratic Presidential ticket in a 100 years with no executive experience or military experience. Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]] is expected to win the Republican nomination. His Vice Presidential nominee is [[Alaska]] Governor [[Sarah Palin]].
==First election without incumbents since 1928==
If eligible to do so, the President of the United States often runs for reelection. If the President does not run, the [[Vice President of the United States]] will often run to replace the President after he leaves office. 2008 will mark the first time since the 1928 election in which there is neither an incumbent President nor an incumbent Vice President running for his party's presidential nomination and thus not running in the Presidential election. In the [[United States presidential election of 1952]], the race was between Republican candidate [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Democratic candidate [[Adlai Stevenson]]. Vice President [[Alben Barkley]] sought but failed to win the Democratic nomination. Current Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] has repeatedly stated he will not run for President. "I will say just as hard as I possibly know how to say... If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve," Cheney said on ''[[Fox News]] Sunday''.

==Differences between 2008 and other elections==
In 2008, [[CNN]]-[[YouTube]] held the first debate in which the questions asked of the nominees in each party came primarily from YouTube viewer submitted videos. The debates received high ratings, however, CNN was criticized for not picking questions that were 'tough' or pertinent enough. One such example was during the Democratic Debate, when CNN chose to ask a question from a snow man, talking about [[global warming]]. During the Republican debate, some claimed that many of the questions were from Democratic supporters just meant to embarrass the Republican candidates. For example, a question over whether or not homosexuals should serve in the U.S. military was asked by retired general and gay activist Keith Kerr, an adviser to [[Hillary Clinton]]'s campaign.

The internet has also played a major role in the election, with then-Republican presidential candidate [[Ron Paul]] and Democratic candidate Barack Obama being very active on the internet.

== Uncommitted Electorate ==

As of July 30th, 2008 14% of respondents are undecided, almost twice as high as the 8% at a similar time period in 2004.<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/in_white_house_race_twice_as_many_voters_uncommitted_compared_to_four_years_ago Uncommitted numbers]</ref>

==Opinion polling==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Polling Outfit
! Date
! Sample*
! Obama (D)
! McCain (R)
|-
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/daily_presidential_tracking_poll Rasmussen Tracking]
| 08/31 - 09/02
| 3000 LV
| '''48'''
| 43
|-
|-
|[http://www.gallup.com/poll/109960/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Hits-50-First-Time.aspx Gallup Tracking]
| 08/30 - 09/01
| 2733 RV
| '''50'''
| 42
|-
|-
|[http://www.nationaljournal.com/hotline/wakeupcall.php American Research Group]
| 08/30 - 09/01
| 1200 LV
| '''49'''
| 43
|-
|-
| [http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/Aug08bPostDemConv.pdf CBS News]
| 08/29 - 08/31
| 781 RV
| '''48'''
| 40
|-
|-
|[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-01-poll-monday_N.htm USA Today/Gallup]
| 08/30 - 08/31
| 1835 RV
| '''50'''
| 43
|-
|}

*RV refers to registered voters, LV refers to likely voters.

Most polling that has been done fails to include all the candidates who will actually be on the ballot in November. A Rasmussen poll on May 18, reported on a four-way race between Barack Obama, John McCain, Ralph Nader and Bob Barr. The poll, which was conducted before Barr became the Libertarian nominee and made a number of high-profile talk show appearances, found that Barr would finish in third place with 6% of the vote, and Nader with 4%.<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/will_third_party_candidates_tip_the_presidential_race</ref> Another poll conducted around that time showed Barr picking up 8% of the vote in [[Georgia]], seriously hurting McCain's chances of winning that state.<ref>http://www.southernpoliticalreport.com/storylink_520_404.aspx</ref> It should be noted that in the actual elections, third party candidates such as Barr and Nader generally have much lower percentage of votes cast for them than they poll beforehand. Also, when possible, polling is reported without counting 'leaners'. Leaners so far have been favoring McCain.

Due to the nature of the presidential election, relying on state-by-state electoral votes as opposed to the nationwide popular vote, nationwide polls may be less predictive of the election results. An alternative approach is to take aggregate results of state-by-state polling in order to create an electoral map. So far most polling sites doing this have found the election favoring Obama, much as the general polling has shown, although generally dependent on how leaning states vote come election day.<ref>http://www.pollster.com/</ref><ref>[http://www.politico.com/convention/swingstate.html Politico's 2008 Swing State Map]</ref>

== McCain vs. Obama ==
[[Image:Casmier.jpg|left|thumb|180px|'''John McCain (R)''']][[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|left|'''Barack Hussein Obama (D)''']]
McCain had the early edge, wrapping up the Republican nomination before Obama was known to be the choice of the Democrats, but this was one of the few advantages he has had. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama raised far more money than McCain and the Democratic primary saw a surge of new voters coming out leading to a large increase in the rolls of Democrats. From the historical position of a generally equal number of Republicans and Democrats, the numbers have now tilted 41% Democrat to only 32% Republican. From the time that Obama was declared the nominee, opinion polling showed him with a modest advantage over McCain in terms of who the voters would choose to be their next President.

Obama's strategy was to tie McCain to George Bush, a very unpopular President, even though McCain was not a part of the Bush administration and often clashed with Bush during his time as senator. McCain, for his part, had to walk a fine line with accepting praise from the President to woo conservatives, while at the same time keeping enough distance so as to not alienate moderates. When possible, McCain went after Obama's lack of foreign policy experience.

On paper, the nomination would seem to heavily favor the Democrats. Overall, Democrat candidates have a +10% advantage over Republicans in a 'generic' election. The current unpopular President is a Republican, and the economy is treading water. Also, based on statistical percentages of articles on each candidate, Obama was being focused on with press coverage far more than McCain. When McCain chastised Obama for his lack of foreign policy experience and that he hadn't been to Iraq or Afghanistan in years, Obama's campaign set up for him to take a trip to both countries. While this is expected in politics, the decision of every major network to send a team of reporters to follow him was unprecedented. Obama spoke to 200,000 people in Berlin in a highly covered speech. McCain spoke to 50,000 in Buffalo shortly thereafter and barely got a whisper. Obama's numbers started to rise, but a good deal of the populace was noticing the disparity as 48% of those polled felt the press was trying to help Obama win.

Obama seemed pleased to coast on his advantages, but McCain realized he needed to shake things up. He scored by pushing offshore drilling for oil during a time when oil prices were climbing almost daily. Obama rejected the idea, but the poll numbers started to show a greater percentage of Americans warming to the concept<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/61_say_congress_should_vote_on_offshore_drilling_right_now Offshore Drilling poll]</ref> and McCain's numbers started to improve. Obama announced he would accept some measure of offshore drilling, and McCain's momentum was haltered and his gains retreated by a couple of points. McCain started an ad campaign that acknowledged Obama's celebrity status, but asking what it meant. A few days later at the start of August he called out Obama for 'playing the race card' when Obama made a reference to McCain and Bush trying to scare people because he (Obama) doesn't look like other Presidents on dollar bills. The Democrats fired back, but quickly let the issue drop when poll numbers showed that most voters did consider Obama's statement to be racist.<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/only_22_say_mccain_ad_racist_but_over_half_53_see_obama_dollar_bill_comment_that_way</ref>. The bounce for Obama after the Berlin speech shrank back to pre-trip levels. While Obama continued to enjoy a slight lead in the polls, McCain continued to keep the race close without either candidate breaking away.

In mid-August both candidates came together at the invitation of Pastor [[Rick Warren]] where each was asked a series of the same questions dealing both with political and personal views. While not a debate, it was the first televised forum where both candidates had a chance to express themselves and their positions. Obama hoped to appeal to Christian conservatives by expressing a religious side while McCain hoped to solidify the conservative base by sharing his own conservative and religious credentials. The difference in style between the two was evident as Obama spent more time explaining and expounding on his positions while McCain was more straight-forward and received more laughs with his candid speaking style. The polling numbers continued as they had been.

There was a bounce at the start of the Democratic convention, but not what was expected as McCain suddenly drew even in the race. The friction between Hillary Clinton and Obama as well as the perceived slight of Hillary when Biden was chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate hurt Obama at a time when his approval was expected to climb. McCain then made a mistake by airing an ad of Hillary Clinton that 'supported' him. Clinton was set to speak at the convention and it was no secret that there was bad blood between her and Obama and it was widely believed that her support for Obama would be lukewarm at best. Instead, apparently galvanized by McCain's hubris before her speech, she came out strongly for Obama and rallied those who supported her. Obama's pre-convention edge returned.

== State by State Breakdown ==
The United States had become so regionally polarized that even though the 2004 presidential election was close nationwide, only nine states had outcomes having less than 4% margin between the candidates:

State, margin of victory, party that won the state in 2004

#Wisconsin, 0.38% (Dem)
#Iowa, 0.67% (Repub)
#New Mexico, 0.79% (Repub)
#New Hampshire, 1.37% (Dem)
#Ohio, 2.11% (Repub)
#Pennsylvania, 2.50% (Dem)
#Nevada, 2.59% (Repub)
#Michigan, 3.42% (Dem)
#Minnesota, 3.48% (Dem)

It is assumed that the 2008 election will be similar where close battles in a few states could determine the outcome. Individual state polling numbers for the 2008 election so far:

* Red = McCain leading
* Blue = Obama leading

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! State
! Obama (D)
! McCain (R)
! Source
! Updated
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Alabama
|37%
|55%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/alabama/election_2008_alabama_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Alaska
|40%
|44%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/alaska/election_2008_alaska_presidential_election Rasmussen]
| 7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Arkansas
|37%
|47%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/arkansas/election_2008_arkansas_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/17/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Arizona
|40%
|52%
|[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_Arizona_804.pdf PPP]
|7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|California
|51%
|37%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/california/election_2008_california_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/20/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Colorado
|46%
|47%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Connecticut
|52%
|35%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/connecticut/election_2008_connecticut_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Delaware
|50%
|41%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/delaware.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Florida
|45%
|44%
|[http://www.wesh.com/news/17312592/detail.html Mason-Dixon]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Georgia
|43%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/georgia/election_2008_georgia_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/14/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Hawaii
|61%
|31%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/hawaii.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Idaho
|37%
|53%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/idaho.html DailyKos.com]
|7/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Illinois
|53%
|38%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/illinois/election_2008_illinois_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/14/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Indiana
|42%
|46%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/indiana/election_2008_indiana_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/19/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Iowa
|55%
|40%
|[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/03/states.poll/index.html CNN/Time]
|9/02/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Kansas
|37%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/kansas/election_2008_kansas_presidential_election Rasmuseen]
|8/11/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Kentucky
|39%
|49%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/kentucky/election_2008_kentucky_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/29/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Louisiana
|34%
|54%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/maine/election_2008_maine_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/12/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Maine
|49%
|36%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/maine/election_2008_maine_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/12/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Maryland
|53%
|40%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/maryland.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Massachusetts
|51%
|36%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/massachusetts/election_2008_massachusetts_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/5/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Michigan
|46%
|39%
|[http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS15/308210001/1215 Detroit Free Press]
|8/21/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Minnesota
|53%
|41%
|[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/03/states.poll/index.html CNN/Time]
|9/02/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Mississippi
|41%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/mississippi/election_2008_mississippi_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/28/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Missouri
|41%
|48%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/missouri/election_2008_missouri_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/7/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Montana
|44%
|45%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/montana/election_2008_montana_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/29/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Nebraska
|32%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/nevada/election_2008_nevada_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/11/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Nevada
|49%
|44%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Hampshire
|43%
|42%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/new_hampshire/election_2008_new_hampshire_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/19/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Jersey
|48%
|40%
|[http://beta.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/new_jersey/election_2008_new_jersey_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/04/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Mexico
|53%
|40%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New York
|52%
|32%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_carolina/election_2008_north_carolina_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|North Carolina
|42%
|45%
|[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_NC_826.pdf PPP]
|8/23/08
|- style="background:white; color:black"
|North Dakota
|43%
|43%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_dakota/election_2008_north_dakota_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/18/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Ohio
|47%
|45%
|[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/03/states.poll/index.html CNN/Time]
|9/02/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Oklahoma
|38%
|52%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/oklahoma.html SurveyUSA]
|6/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Oregon
|47%
|37%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/oregon/election_2008_oregon_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/7/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Pennsylvania
|48%
|43%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Rhode Island
|55%
|31%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/rhode_island/election_2008_rhode_island_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/04/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|South Carolina
|39%
|48%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/south_carolina/election_2008_south_carolina_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/07/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|South Dakota
|40%
|44%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/south_dakota/election_2008_south_dakota_presidential_election2 Rasmussen]
|7/09/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Tennessee
|36%
|51%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/tennessee/election_2008_tennessee_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/24/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Texas
|41%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/texas/election_2008_texas_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Utah
|33%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/utah/election_2008_utah_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/22/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Vermont
|63%
|29%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/vermont.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Virginia
|47%
|45%
|[http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2008/08/virginia-president-and-senate.html PPP]
|8/22/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Washington
|48%
|37%
|[http://strategicvision.biz/political/wa_poll_083008.htm Strategic Vision]
|7/27/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|West Virginia
|38%
|45%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/west_virginia/election_2008_west_virginia_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/05/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Wisconsin
|47%
|42%
|[http://www.strategicvision.biz/index.html Strategic Vision]
|8/10/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Wyoming
|40%
|53%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/wyoming.html Research2000]
|5/29/08
|}

== Analysis of States by Region ==
Because of the [[electoral college]] system in the United States, it is important to analyze the presidential election by each state. These states are grouped into regions.

=== New England ===
[[Barack Obama]] is almost certain to win almost every state in this region, which tend to be very [[liberal]]. The only exception is in New Hampshire, where [[John McCain]] is well liked and George Bush won in 2000. This state is expected to be competitive. On the other hand, with only four electoral votes, the impact on the election will not be as great as some other battleground states.

=== Mid-Atlantic ===
[[New York]], [[Delaware]], and [[Maryland]] are solidly Democrat and will vote for Obama this election. [[New Jersey]] is less so, but still has Democratic leanings, and will probably go for Obama. [[Pennsylvania]] is a very important swing state for both candidates, as it has 21 electoral votes, fifth most in the nation, and has both liberal and conservative elements. In recent years, the state has moved toward becoming Democrat. However, it is not yet at the point that is safely in the Democratic camp, and will still be focused on heavily by both candidates during this election cycle. McCain still has a very good chance because Obama was unable to connect with the working-class citizens of Pennsylvania during the Democratic primary.

=== South-Atlantic ===
[[Washington, D.C.]] is overwhelmingly liberal and will vote for Obama; however, with three electoral votes its significance is limited. Although [[Virginia]] has usually been Republican territory in Presidential elections, this year it has become a competitive state. Democrats will work on increasing the voter turnout in the northern part of the state, with a high population of D.C. transplants. McCain's strength is in the southern regions and among the military. In the Carolinas, which usually votes Republican, McCain is seen as having the edge, but Obama may be competitive in these states if he mobilizes the African-American population. [[Georgia]] is a state where a third-party candidate [[Bob Barr]] could make a difference. While most voters favor McCain, he could lose enough votes to Barr to lose the state, especially if there is a large black turnout. [[Florida]] is a very close swing state, most famously known for its role in [[Election 2000]]. An important constituency in this state is the [[Jewish]] population, who are continuing to support Obama over McCain. Cuban-Americans, who are most upset with Obama's statements that he would meet with Fidel Castro, back McCain.

=== Deep South ===
John McCain will do well in the deep south. This includes the states of [[Texas]], [[Alabama]], [[Mississippi]], [[Louisiana]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Arkansas]], [[Tennessee]], [[Kentucky]] and [[West Virginia]]. This area is generally [[conservative]], and consistently vote Republican in Presidential elections. Although Obama believes in a fifty-state strategy, it is unlikely that such a strategy will be helpful in getting out the vote in these states apart from the black population.

===Swing States (Great Lakes Region)===
Strategists believe that the Republican presidential nominee must win Wisconsin or Minnesota, and hold Iowa but that the outcome in New Mexico, which has only 5 electoral votes, is irrelevant. Minnesota's margin of victory for the Democrats in 2004 probably places it out of reach for Republicans in 2008. This is confirmed by recent polling. However, due to the location of the Republican Convention in Minnesota, and if Governor Pawlenty is chosen as McCain's vice presidential pick, the state, with ten electoral votes, can come back into play.

=== West ===
Barack Obama is almost certainly guaranteed a win in the coastal states of California, Oregon and Washington, while John McCain is favored in Arizona, Idaho, Utah and Texas. Nevada, which voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004, may turn to Obama if Bob Barr manages to pull enough votes from McCain.

===Other Important Swing States===
Moreover, it is very important for republicans to hold Ohio and Florida. Fortunately, both states have tended to lean republican in the last two presidential elections. Although Florida was disputed in election 2000, it went to Bush undeniably in 2004. Virginia will also be heavily contested this year.

== General Strategy ==

McCain's team wants to convince the electorate of the long-term leadership and experience that John McCain has shown in two decades of government service while emphasizing the relative untested nature of Barak Obama.

Obama's team wants to convince the electorate that Obama is the candidate of fresh ideas while downplaying his relative inexperience compared to the more seasoned McCain. When possible, McCain is lumped together with George Bush, an unpopular President.

===Republican Strategy===
With more limited funding than his Democratic rival, McCain favors open town hall meetings to attract the greatest number of people. He is focusing his advertising on swing states. He has asked for open debates with Obama of the Lincoln-Douglas variety where candidates can talk directly to each other, but this was not accepted by the Democratic camp which prefers the current structured format.

McCain is pushing the idea that he is a proven leader who served his country and as President can be counted on to keep America safe from outside threats. His strongest supporters are the elderly - the group that most wants stability.

McCain chose first-term [[Alaska]] [[Governor]] [[Sarah Palin]] as his Vice Presidential nominee. Her relative inexperience on foreign policy issues undercuts his arguments against his opponent, [[Senator Barack Obama]], on experience, but also works to cut into [[Obama|Obama's]] call for "Change". In addition, McCain has touted [[Palin|Palin's]] record of standing up to the Alaska Republican party when she resigned from an Ethics Commission in protest over a lack of ethics of fellow commissioners, as well as when she ran against, and beat, then-incumbent Governor [[Frank Murkowski]] in the Republican primary in 2006. McCain will continue to tout her as a "maverick" and contrast her record outside of Washington, D.C. to Obama's V.P. nominee, [[Senator Joe Biden]]. Last, by choosing a female running mate, McCain hopes to increase his popularity amongst white women, where he currently trails Obama 43%-42% in a recent NBC/WSJ poll.<ref>[http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/Bringing_in_more_white_women.html?showall Bringing in more white women]</ref> In contrast, [[President Bush]] defeated [[Senator Kerry]] 55%-44% among this electorate in 2004. According to the NBC/WSJ poll, one in three of the undecided voters were white women, and therefore an electorate that is clearly up for grabs.

===Democratic Strategy===
Democrats are confident that the low popularity of [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] and particularly [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], which John McCain supports, puts them in a highly favorable position for 2008. They have been cautious in the Iraq arena realizing that 'The Surge' worked and they were on the wrong end of that issue. Focus is being put on a timeline for troops coming home, a position that most of the American population favors.

Democats believe it is their race to lose, but also realize they had a good chance to win the last two Presidential elections and came up short each time. General wisdom also states that a poor economy favors Obama, so they will try to point a dire picture in this area. As in past elections, differences between those who have obtained a high income level and those who have not will be emphasized.

Favored by the young, Democrats will try hard to encourage and get out the young vote, a task that has proven more difficult than expected in the last two election cycles. To their advantage, Obama made his vice presidential pick via text message to cell phone numbers registered on the site. The announcement went to 3 million cell phones, a useful database for "Get Out The Vote" (GOTV) efforts, when voters may not be home or reachable on their landline.

As an extension of the DNC's strategy in the 2006 elections, led by [[Howard Dean]], Barack Obama has been working towards a "50-state strategy." The campaign is working to place campaign offices throughout the country with a focus on voter registration. The increase in the rolls of Democratic voters from the primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Obama played out well for the Democrats and puts pressure on Senator McCain even in typically red states, and more specifically, "Lean Republican" states, to use the Cook Political Report's term. In addition, with a fundraising advantage, Obama is airing ads in those tight states forcing McCain to make decisions about whether to use funds to match ads and campaign efforts in those states or rely on historical results that those states will support him and focus funds in traditional toss-up states instead.

==Conventions==

===Democratic National Convention===
[[Image:democraticpartyusalogo.png|right|200px]] The 2008 Democratic National Convention was held in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], from August 25 to August 27 at Pepsi Center. There, Senator Obama and his running mate were selected to be the party nominee's. Barack Obama will accepted the party's nomination in front of a crowd of more than 75,000 in a free, open event held at INVESCO Field at Mile High, in a platform resemblant to a Greek temple. House Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] is the Permanent Chair of the Convention.

The convention had a rocky start as friction between supporters of Obama and the Clintons was not resolved. Instead of Obama getting a bump in the polls, his support actually declined. The Democrats also seemed to be at odds on finding a unifying strategy for how hard to attack John McCain and how to present it. As Democratic pundit James Carville said in an interview on [[CNN]], "If this party has a message, it's done a <heck> of a job hiding it tonight, I promise you that."<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080826/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_convention_rdp</ref>

A bleak convention was turned around by the Clintons. Infighting between Obama and Hillary continued through the day of her speech, but a comprise was reached, and, beyond expectations, she gave a rousing speech for Obama - possibly as an angry response to McCain's latest ad that showed her 'supporting' him. Bill Clinton the next night also praised Obama, something that he failed to effectively do in 2000 for Al Gore when he centered on his accomplishments and gave little more than lip service to Gore with statements amounting to 'and Al Gore was there too'. The convention, possibly remembering that, gave him the topic he was to speak on instead of choosing his own. Clinton was angered, but it worked. He came through. By the time Obama spoke on the last night, the theme that was missing at first was clear, and Obama mixed a message of attacking McCain with the need for change and even outlining some expensive programs that would appeal to the target populace who has been lukewarm to him. From a political point of view, the convention did what it was supposed to.

===Convention Schedule===

'''Monday 8/25 (Theme: One Nation):'''

* Former President [[Jimmy Carter]]
* [[Speaker of the House]] [[Nancy Pelosi]], D-[[California]]
* Congressman [[Jesse Jackson, Jr.]], D-[[Illinois]]
* Mayor John Hickenlooper, D-[[Denver]]
* Senator [[Amy Klobuchar]], D-[[Minnesota]]
* Mayor Manny Diaz, D-[[Miami]]
* Illinois state leaders Alexi Giannoulis, Dan Hynes, Lisa Madigan
* Tom Balanoff from Illinois SEIU
* [[National Education Association]] (NEA) President Reg Weaver
* AFT President Randi Weingarten
* [[NARAL Pro-Choice America]] President Nancy Keenan
* Senator [[Claire McCaskill]], D-Missouri
* Former State Representative Lee Hamilton, D-[[Indiana]]
* Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle
* Maya Soetoro-Ng - Barack Obama's half-sister
* Jerry Kellman - "Mentor and long-time friend of Barack Obama"

'''Tuesday 8/26 (Theme: Renewing America's Promise):'''

* Senator [[Patrick Leahy]], D-[[Vermont]]
* Governor [[Joe Manchin]], D-[[West Virginia]], Chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association
* Governor [[Chet Culver]], D-[[Iowa]]
* [[California]] State Controller John Chiang
* Change to Win’s Anna Burger
* [[AFL-CIO]] President John Sweeney
* [[Planned Parenthood of America]] President Cecile Richards.
* Pay Equity pioneer Lilly Ledbetter
* Governor [[Brian Schweitzer]], D-[[Montana]]
* Governor [[Deval Patrick]], D-[[Massachusetts]]
* Governor [[Kathleen Sebelius]], D-[[Kansas]]
* Governor [[Janet Napolitano]], D-[[Arizona]]
* Governor [[Jim Doyle]], D-[[Wisconsin]]
* Governor [[Ed Rendell]], D-[[Pennsylvania]]
* Governor [[Ted Strickland]], D-[[Ohio]]
* Governor [[David Paterson]], D-[[New York]]
* Senator [[Bob Casey, Jr.]], D-[[Pennsylvania]]
* Former Secretary of Energy and Transportation Federico Peña
* House Majority Leader [[Steny Hoyer]], D-[[Maryland]]
* House Democratic Caucus Chair [[Rahm Emanuel]], D-[[Illinois]]
* Representative [[Xavier Becerra]] (D-California), Assistant to the Speaker of the House;
* Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair [[Chris Van Hollen]]
* Representatives [[Nydia Velazquez]] (D-[[New York]])
* Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
* Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
* Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
* Mike Honda (D-CA)
* Senator and former Presidential candidate [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-NY)
* Former Governor [[Mark Warner]] (D-VA)--Keynote Speaker

'''Wednesday 8/27 (Theme: Securing America's Future): '''

* Former President [[Bill Clinton]]
* Governor [[Bill Richardson]], D-[[New Mexico]]
* Senator [[John Kerry]], D-[[Massachusetts]]
* Former Senate Minority Leader [[Tom Daschle]], D-[[South Dakota]]
* Senator [[Jack Reed]], D-[[Rhode Island]]
* Mayor [[Richard Daley]], D-[[Chicago]]
* Senator [[Evan Bayh]], D-[[Indiana]]
* Senator [[Joe Biden]], D-[[Delaware]]
* Senator [[Jay Rockefeller]], D-[[West Virginia]]
* Senate Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]], D-[[Nevada]]
* Senator [[Ken Salazar]], D-[[Colorado]]
* House Majority Whip [[James E. Clyburn]], D-[[South Carolina]]
* Congressman [[Robert Wexler]] (D-[[Florida]])

'''Thursday 8/28 (Theme: Change You Can Believe In):'''

* [[Colorado]] [[Governor]] [[Bill Ritter]]
* Former Vice President [[Al Gore]]
* Presidential nominee [[Barack Obama]]

===Republican National Convention===
[[Image:Cjjfdjfty.png|200px|right|"Republican Party Elephant" logo]] The 2008 Republican National Convention will be held in [[Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]] from September 1 ([[Labor Day]]) until September 4. The presumptive nominee will be Senator McCain. The location has political significance in that [[Minnesota]] will likely be a close state during the general election, as will it's neighboring states [[Wisconsin]] and [[Iowa]].

The convention had to be rescheduled due to the upcoming landfall of [[Hurricane Gustav]]. The first day almost entirely focused on raising money for Hurricane relief. It is expected that the convention will stick to it's original schedule for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

===Convention Schedule===

'''Monday 9/1 (Theme: Service):'''

*RNC Chairman Mike Duncan

*[[First Lady]] [[Laura Bush]]

*[[Cindy McCain]]

'''Tuesday 9/2 (Theme: Reform):'''
*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]], Keynote speaker

*Governor Jon Huntsman, R-[[Utah]]

*Governor [[Linda Lingle]], R-[[Hawaii]]

*Governor [[Sarah Palin]], R-[[Alaska]]

*Former Gov. [[Mike Huckabee]], R-[[Arkansas]]

*Former Gov. and Homeland Security Secretary [[Tom Ridge]], R-[[Pennsylvania]]

*Former Lt. Governor [[Michael Steele]], R-[[Maryland]]

*Senator [[Tom Coburn]], R-[[Oklahoma]]

*Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-[[Tennessee]]

*House Minority Leader [[John Boehner]], R-[[Ohio]]

*Congressman Marsha Blackburn, R-[[Tennessee]]

*Congressman Luis Fortuño, R-[[Puerto Rico]]

*Congressman Adam Putnam, R-[[Florida]]

*State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-[[California]]

*Rosario Marin, California Secretary of the State

*Chris Collins

*Carolyn Dunn

*Phil Hayes

*Lisa Keegan

*Ruth Novodor

*Dr. Elena Rios

*Shirley Sadler

*Joe Watkins

'''Wednesday 9/3 (Theme: Prosperity):'''

*[[Cindy McCain]]

*Republican Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee

*Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], R-[[Louisiana]]

*Former Gov. [[Mitt Romney]], R-[[Massachusetts]]

*Senator [[Norm Coleman]], R-[[Minnesota]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]], R-[[Texas]]

*Congressman [[Mike Pence]], R-[[Indiana]]

*Mayor Mick Cornett, R-Oklahoma City

*State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-[[California]]

*Carly Fiorina, Victory ‘08 Chairman for the RNC, former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co.

*Meg Whitman, National Co-Chair for McCain 2008 and former President and CEO of [[eBay]]

*Renee Amoore*

*Anne Beiler*

*Jessica Colon*

*Christy Swanson*

*Raul “Danny” Vargas*

'''Thursday 9/4 (Theme: Peace):'''

*[[John McCain]]

*Governor [[Charlie Crist]], R-[[Florida]]

*Governor [[Tim Pawlenty]], R-[[Minnesota]]

*Senator [[Sam Brownback]], R-[[Kansas]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]], R-[[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Mel Martinez]], R-[[Florida]]

*Former Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]], R-[[Tennessee]]

*Congressman Mary Fallin, R-[[Oklahoma ]]

*Michael Williams, Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission

*David Flau

*Christopher Fussner

*Lt. General Carol Mutter, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

*Charlie Smith

==Debates==
===Presidential Debates===
There will be three presidential debates for the 2008 election season. The first debate will be held on September 26th, at the University of Mississippi. The topic for the debate is "Foreign Policy & National Security" and will be moderated by Jim Lehrer. The debate will be a podium debate, broken into 9 nine-minute segments. The moderator will introduce a topic, and then each candidate will have 2 minutes to comment. Following their answers, there will be 5 minutes of open discussion on the topic, facilitated by the moderator.

The second debate will be held on October 7th, at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. The moderator will be Tom Brokaw, and the debate will be in a town hall-style. The questions will come from audience members and the Internet, as chosen by the moderator. After each question, the candidates will have two minutes each to respond, as well as a one-minute followup to the opposing candidate's response.

The final debate will be held on October 15th, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. The topic for the debate is "Domestic and Economic Policy" and will be moderated by Bob Schieffer. The candidates will be seated at a table, as opposed to behind a podium, and the format will follow that of the first debate. In addition, though, the candidates will be given an opportunity to present a 90-second closing argument.

===Vice Presidential Debate===
There will be one vice presidential debate held on October 2nd, at Washington University in Saint Louis, MO. The debate will be moderated by Gwen Ifill, with a format to be determined after the vice presidential nominees have been selected.

==Third parties and Independents==
===Libertarian party===
The [[Libertarian Party]] selected former Representative [[Bob Barr]] of [[Georgia]] as its 2008 presidential candidate on May 25, 2008.<ref>http://www.lpconvention.org/</ref> Former Democratic candididate [[Mike Gravel]] sought the Libertarian nomination but lost to Barr.<ref> http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/25/libertarians-pick-barr-as-presidential-nominee/ </ref>

Barr has, on his campaign website, linked to a proposed Libertarian strategy laid out by a member of his campaign staff. Although Barr has not officially claimed this as his strategy, the link appears to be a tacit endorsement. The strategy is called the "gold states" strategy. Instead of waging a 50-state campaign with the aim of securing 270 electoral votes and an outright electoral college win, Barr would focus on about 18-20 states where neither Obama or McCain has strong support. Winning that number of states could net Barr from 180-200 electoral votes, and would exceed either Obama or McCain's number and prevent either of them from reaching 270. Under US Constitution Amendment 12, with no candidate having an electoral vote majority, the election would be thrown into the House of Representatives, which would have to choose the president from the top three electoral vote getters. At this stage, Barr could argue that as the top electoral vote recipient, he should become the President, and might draw support from conservative Democrats displeased with Obama's positions, and from Republicans who dislike McCain.

Although winning the largest number of electoral votes would assist Barr in making such an argument, it is not absolutely necessary. Given the close divide in the electoral vote in the 2000 and 2004 elections, Barr could throw the vote into the House by winning a handful of states to garner perhaps 15-20 electoral votes.

The House of Representatives currently has a Democratic majority, but it is important to note that under the US Constitution Amendment 12, the vote is not a straight vote of the members of the House. Instead, each ''State'' gets one single vote, and that vote is determined by the members from that State. Although many large states like California and New York have large Democratic majorities, these will be balanced by the many smaller Southern and Midwestern states with Republican majorities. A handful of states have an even number of House members, and are split down the middle for control.

===Constitution Party===
The [[Constitution Party]] held its convention in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 24 through April 27. The party nominated Pastor [[Chuck Baldwin]] over former U.N. Ambassador and Republican presidential candidate [[Alan Keyes]].<ref> http://www.constitutionparty.com/news.php?aid=751 </ref>

===Green Party===
[[Cynthia McKinney]], who was defeated in her bid for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives after voting against the [[Iraq War]] and being arrested on battery charges after striking a Capitol Hill police officer, won the [[environmentalist]] [[Green Party]]'s nomination for president at the party convention July 12, 2008. Running for Vice President on the Green ticket is "Hip-Hop activist and journalist" Rosa Clemente.<ref>http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=79</ref>

===Independents===
[[Ralph Nader]] announced his independent candidacy for president on February 24, 2008, to focus on "stem[ming] corporate crime and Pentagon waste and promot[ing] labor rights", issues he feels are ignored by the main parties.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Feb24/0,4670,APNader,00.html</ref> His [[running mate]] is former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors [[Matt Gonzalez]].<ref>http://www.votenader.org/about/matt-gonzalez/</ref>

New York City Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]] has been frequently mentioned as a possible independent candidate for the 2008 presidential election and fueled that speculation when he left the Republican Party in June 2007. However, he declared in a February 28, 2008, op-ed article in ''The New York Times'', "I am not—and will not be—a candidate for president," but added that "[i]f a candidate takes an independent, nonpartisan approach—and embraces practical solutions that challenge party orthodoxy—I’ll join others in helping that candidate win the White House."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/opinion/28mike.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "I'm Not Running for President, but..."]</ref>

==Historical Information==

===Withdrawn Republican Party Candidates===
Senator [[Sam Brownback]], [[Kansas]], withdrew October 19, 2007, citing a lack of funding.<ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ifK7vLWH4aU4urzB-4bSX1u4QF9QD8SC0EI00</ref> Brownback also had done poorly at key conservative milestones, such as the [[Value Voters Debate]].<ref>http://www.valuesvoterdebate.com/pollresults.cfm, Brownback lost sizably to [[Mike Huckabee]].</ref> He endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]].

Former Governor [[Jim Gilmore]], [[Virginia]], withdrew July 14, 2007

Former Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani|Rudolph Giuliani]], [[New York City]] He withdrew after a defeat in [[Florida]], on which he had depended on heavily. He endorsed John McCain afterwards.

Former Governor [[Mike Huckabee]], [[Arkansas]]. He withdrew from the race once McCain received the 1,191 delegates needed to win the nomination. He also promised to support McCain as the nominee, thus giving his endorsement to him.

Representative [[Duncan Hunter]], [[California]] 52nd, withdrew January 19, 2008 and endorsed Governor Mike Huckabee.

Representative [[Ron Paul]], [[Texas]] 14th, withdrew June 12, 2008.

Former Governor [[Mitt Romney]], [[Massachusetts]], suspended his campaign after poor showings on [[Super Tuesday]] and later endorsed John McCain.

Representative [[Tom Tancredo]], [[Colorado]] 6th, withdrew December 20, 2007. He endorsed fmr. Governor [[Mitt Romney]] of [[Massachusetts]].

Former Senator [[Fred Thompson]], [[Tennessee]]. He endorsed [[John McCain]] of Arizona.

Former Governor and HS Secretary [[Tommy Thompson]], withdrew August 12, 2007. He endorsed fmr. Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] of [[New York]].

===Potential Republican Candidates Who Declined to Run===
*Former Senator [[George Allen]], Virginia - endorsed Fred Thompson.
*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]], [[Florida]] - endorsed John McCain.
*[[Vice President]] [[Dick Cheney]]
*Former Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]], Tennessee
*Former [[Speaker of the House]] [[Newt Gingrich]], [[Georgia]]
*Senator [[Chuck Hagel]], [[Nebraska]]
*Former Governor [[George Pataki]], New York
*[[Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]]
*Governor [[Mark Sanford]], [[South Carolina]]
*Former Senator [[Rick Santorum]], [[Pennsylvania]]

===Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate===
[[Image:Sarah Palin.jpg|thumb|left|100px|thumb]]
*Governor [[Sarah Palin]] of [[Alaska]].

=== Withdrawn Democratic Party candidates ===

Senator [[Joseph Biden]], [[Delaware]]<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/04/chris-dodd-abandons-presidential-campaign-after-poor-showing-in-iowa/ </ref> He withdrew after a disappointing finish in the [[Iowa Caucus]].

Senator [[Hillary Clinton]], [[New York]] Suspended her campaign after Obama reached the number of needed delegates. She endorsed him shortly afterwards.

Senator [[Chris Dodd]], [[Connecticut]]<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/04/chris-dodd-abandons-presidential-campaign-after-poor-showing-in-iowa/</ref> He withdrew after a disappointing finish in the [[Iowa Caucus]] and later endorsed Senator [[Barack Obama]].

Former Senator [[John Edwards]], [[North Carolina]]. He withdrew after losing in all of the early primary states. He later endorsed Senator Obama after Obama won the North Carolina primary.

Former Senator [[Mike Gravel]], [[Alaska]]. He withdrew to seek the Libertarian party nomination (which he lost to Bob Barr.) He also endorsed Green Party Candidate, Jesse Johnson. <ref> http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/03/12/democratic-candidate-gravel-endorses-green-party-presidential-hopeful/ </ref>

Representative [[Dennis Kucinich]], [[Ohio]] 10th<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/24/kucinich-drops-presidential-bid/ </ref> He withdrew to keep his seat in the House of Representatives.

Governor [[Bill Richardson]], [[New Mexico]]<ref>
[http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/09/ap-bill-richardson-drops-out-of-democratic-presidential-race/ AP: Bill Richardson Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Race], [[Associated Press]], [[Fox News Channel]], January 9, 2008</ref> He withdrew after twin fourth-place finishes (in Iowa and New Hampshire) that showed his credentials could not compete with his rivals’ star power. He later endorsed Senator Obama.

Former Governor [[Tom Vilsack]], Iowa. He endorsed [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]]

===Potential Democratic Candidates Who Declined to Run===
*Senator [[Evan Bayh]], [[Indiana]] - endorsed Hillary Clinton
*[[General]] [[Wesley Clark]] (Ret.) - endorsed Hillary Clinton
*Former Senate Minority Leader [[Tom Daschle]], [[South Dakota]]
*Former Governor and current DNC Chairman [[Howard Dean]], [[Vermont]]
*Senator [[Russ Feingold]], [[Wisconsin]]
*Former Vice President [[Al Gore]], [[Tennessee]]
*Senator [[John Kerry]], Massachusetts - endorsed Barack Obama
*Rev. [[Al Sharpton]]
*Former Governor [[Mark Warner]], [[Virginia]]

===Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate===
On August 23rd, Senator Barack Obama announced, via text message to 3 million cell phone numbers of his supporters, his nomination of Joseph Biden to Vice President.
[[Image:06 biden.gif|thumb|left|100px|Joseph Biden]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

==Primaries and Caucuses==
===Iowa Caucus: January 3, 2008===
The first caucus in the 2008 presidential election cycle was the [[Iowa Caucus]]. The Democratic winner of the Iowa caucus was [[Barack Obama]], who managed to beat national frontrunner [[Hillary Clinton]] and former [[North Carolina]] Senator, [[John Edwards]]. The official results were:
{| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Iowa caucus results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| Barack Obama
| 38%
|-
| John Edwards
| 30%
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 29%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 2%
|-
| Joseph Biden
| 1%
|-
|}
Other candidates such as, [[Chris Dodd]], [[Dennis Kucinich]] and [[Mike Gravel]] did not gain a significant percentage. Because of the Iowa results, [[Barack Obama]] was expected now to beat [[Hillary Clinton]] in the upcoming [[New Hampshire]] primary. Also, [[Joe Biden]] and [[Chris Dodd]] both withdrew from the race because of their low showings in the Iowa caucus.

On the Republican side, [[Mike Huckabee]] defeated [[Mitt Romney]] by an even closer margin. The results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP Iowa caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 34%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 25%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 13%
|-
| John McCain
| 13%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 10%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 3%
|}

Candidates such as [[Duncan Hunter]], [[Alan Keyes]] and [[John H. Cox]] didn't come out with a significant percentage. Romney's loss in [[Iowa]] set him back in the upcoming primary in [[New Hampshire]]. Huckabee's win however gave him surge in [[New Hampshire]] where he had before been very low in the polls. McCain's unexpected high showing in Iowa also gave him a little boost in New Hampshire.

===New Hampshire Primary: January 8, 2008===
The next milestone after the Iowa caucus was the New Hampshire primary. (Only the Republican Wyoming primary occurred on January 5, which was won by Romney.) On the Republican side, Mitt Romney's defeat in Iowa helped his most significant opponent, John McCain. Huckabee's victory in Iowa helped boost his campaign and gave him a higher showing than even he had expected. On the Democratic side, Obama's defeat of Clinton and Edwards led to the polls usually predicting a Obama victory in New Hampshire.
The winner for the Republicans was John McCain and for the Democrats Hillary Clinton. The Democratic results were:

{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. NH primary results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 39%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 36%
|-
| John Edwards
| 17%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 5%
|-
| Dennis Kucinich
| 1%
|}

Hillary Clinton's win was a setback for Obama and much-needed victory for Clinton. The polls reliability was most hurt with these results. (Mike Gravel didn't reach a significant percentage.)
The Republican results were:

{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP NH primary results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 37%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 31%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 11%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 9%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 8%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 1%
|-
| Duncan Hunter
| 1%
|}

These results put the very survival of Mitt Romney on the line and intensified the upcoming Michigan primary. John McCain's victory helped boost his campaign and he predicted to go on to victory in Michigan and South Carolina. Huckabee also did well and placed an unusual third place.

===Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina===
Romney's second-place defeat in Iowa and New Hampshire, caused his campaign to focus all its attention on the Michigan Primary on January 15th. He managed to defeat his rivals, John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
Since the Democrats had taken Michigan's delegates away, most of the candidates didn't even bother to get on the ballot. Clinton won easily, because she was one of the only major candidates to be even on the ballot.
Romney and the Democrats turned their attention to the Nevada caucus, while Republicans John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson looked to the South Carolina primary. (The Republicans had the South Carolina primary on the same day as the Nevada caucus, January 19th.)
The Democratic results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Nevada caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! Percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 51%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 45%
|-
| John Edwards
| 4%
|}

Hillary Clinton probably won because of her strong position on the Yucca Mountain issue, which was critical to Democratic caucus goers.
Romney easily won the Republican Nevada caucus, probably because it is close to Utah, a traditionally Mormon state. Duncan Hunter had been hoping for a strong finish in Nevada and decided to leave the race, because of his poor showings.

{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP SC caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 33%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 30%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 16%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 15%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 4%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 2%
|}

McCain’s victory in South Carolina propelled him as the national front-runner. Mike Huckabee’s 2nd place defeat forced him to cut back in expenses due to lack of funds. Fred Thompson’s defeat was irreparable and he withdrew from the race shortly afterwards

The Democrats prepared for the primary in South Carolina on January 26th. Obama won the primary by a huge margin over Clinton and Edwards. This was a severe loss for Edwards since he had been born in South Carolina and was Senator for North Carolina. Obama probably won because of the state’s huge black population.

===Florida Primary: January 29, 2008===
Because Florida moved its date to January 29th the Democratic party stripped Florida of its delegates and the candidates agreed not to campaign there.
The Democratic results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Florida primary results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 50%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 33%
|-
| John Edwards
| 14%
|-
| Joe Biden
| 1%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 1%
|-
| Dennis Kucinich
| 1%
|}
Florida was the last early primary state and after his loss, John Edwards suspended his campaign. (Although they had withdrawn, candidates Biden, Richardson and Kucinich still received votes. Mike Gravel didn't receive a percentage.)
The Republicans concentrated on Florida more than the Democrats, because the Republican party chose to remove only half of their delegates. Candidate [[Rudy Giuliani]] chose to ignore earlier primaries, hoping that a large win in Florida, with its strong transplanted New Yorkers contingent, would propel him to the nomination. Unfortunately, with earlier wins, John McCain and Mitt Romney both gained momentum and began to lead Giuliani in the polls.
The Republican results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP Florida primary results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 36%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 31%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 15%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 13%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 3%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 1%
|}

The results caused Giuliani to exit the race the next day and endorse the primary winner, John McCain. (Although Fred Thompson had withdrawn he got some support anyway.)

===Super Tuesday: February 5, 2008===
Super Tuesday held the largest number of presidential primary's and caucuses. Twenty-four states were held for one or both parties were held on this date.

*The Democratic results were:
*Candidates
*Hillary Clinton, 9 states won, ([[American Samoa]], [[Arizona]], [[Arkansas]], [[California]], [[Massachusetts]], [[New Jersey]], [[New Mexico]], [[New York]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Tennessee]].) Number of delegates won, 826.
*Barack Obama, 13 states won, ([[Alabama]], [[Alaska]], [[Colorado]], [[Connecticut]], [[Delaware]], [[Georgia]], [[Idaho]], [[Illinois]], [[Kansas]], [[Minnesota]], [[Missouri]], [[North Dakota]], [[Utah]].) Number of delegates won, 838.

*GOP Super Tuesday primary results
*John McCain, 9 states won, (Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma). Number of delegates won: 602.
*Mitt Romney, 7 states won, (Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah). Number of delegates won: 201.
*Mike Huckabee, 5 states won, (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia). Number of delegates won: 152.
*Ron Paul, 0 states won. Number of delegates won: 10

===February 9th Primaries===
The next major primary after Super Tuesday was on February 9, 2008. The Democrats held contests in [[Louisiana]], [[Nebraska]] & [[Washington]]. The Republicans held three other contests in [[Kansas]], [[Louisiana]] & [[Washington]].
Governor Huckabee won Kansas and Louisiana, but lost to McCain in Washington by a close margin. Barrack Obama won all three Democratic contests, and also won the Maine caucus, the next day on February 10th.

===Potomac Primary: February 12, 2008===
The next primary-date was the Potomac primary on February 12. It is called that because the three states; [[District of Columbia]], [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]], which all were near the Potomac River, had their primary date on the same date. John McCain won all three Republican contests, while Barrack Obama won all of the Democratic contests.

===Super Tuesday 2: March 4, 2008===
After Obama won his 11th consecutive victory on the February 19th primaries in [[Wisconsin]] and [[Hawaii]], Clinton was desperate to win the March 4th primaries in [[Ohio]], [[Texas]], [[Rhode Island]] & [[Vermont]]. Huckabee also needed more victories to prevent McCain from reaching the needed 1,191 delegates for the Republican nomination.

Clinton won all of the states except for Vermont, which Obama won. McCain won all of the primaries, causing Governor Huckabee to leave the race that evening.

===Pennsylvania Primary===
After Clinton's victories on Super Tuesday 2, both Democrats looked ahead to the Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd. Obama lost some popularity after video clips were shown of his Pastor, Rev. [[Jeremiah Wright]], saying "God damn America!" during a sermon. Obama also commented about people bitterly clinging to guns and religion because they were upset with Washington policies. Clinton beat Obama by 9 percentage points, continuing the long drawn-out contest between the two. John McCain was able to easily win the primary as the Republican party's presumptive nominee.

===Guam Caucus===
On May 3rd, Guam held its Democratic caucuses. Out of more than 4,500 votes, Senator Obama won by 7 votes. The results gave Obama 2 pledged delegates and Senator Clinton 2 pledged delegates.

===Indiana and North Carolina Primary===
Both Indiana and North Carolina held their primaries on May 6th. Heading into the primary, registered African American voters reported receiving "robocalls" telling them they were not registered to vote. The calls were traced back to an organization called "Women's Voices Women Vote". The organization included members close to the Clintons. The calls ended with an order from the state Attorney General. Senator Obama proceeded to win the primary with 56.1%.

Leading into the Indiana primary, the polls were very close, with neither candidate leading by more than the polls' margin-of-error. Senator Clinton was looking for a large win to follow up on the Pennsylvania primary, with much the same demographic as PA and Ohio. Senator Obama, though, surprised many in the news media and the Clinton campaign by losing by only a small margin, 50.56% - 49.44%. With the near-split of the delegates in Indiana, combined with his win in North Carolina, the media began to declare Senator Obama as the nominee, although he had not yet reached the necessary delegate count.

===West Virginia Primary===
With a strong working-class demographic, Senator Clinton was expected to win the West Virginia primary on May 13th. Polls leading into the primary had her up 29 points on Senator Obama. The final vote tally exceeded the polls, with Senator Clinton winning 66.99% - 25.67%.

===Oregon and Kentucky Primaries===
The Oregon primary was a mail-only primary--the only such primary in the nation. Democratic voters received ballots in the mail between May 2nd and May 6th, and had to be received by county election officials by May 20th. Polling leading up to the primary showed Senator Obama with a 10-15% lead over Senator Clinton. Obama held a rally on May 18th at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland which drew an estimated 72,000 people. It was the largest rally Obama had held, more than doubling the 35,000 that came out to see him in Pennsylvania. By the end of the vote tally, Obama had won the state primary 58.5% - 40.5%.

The Kentucky primary, held the same day, was long believed a lock for Senator Clinton. The voter demographic mirrored the West Virginia primary, with a heavy working-class population. Senator Clinton easily won the primary, 65.5% - 29.9%. The large win, though, was drowned out in the media by Senator Obama's win in Oregon, and more importantly, by the endorsement of Senator Obama by former opponent and former vice presidential candidate, John Edwards.

===Puerto Rico Primary===
With Clinton behind in both pledged and superdelegates at this point in the race, every primary and delegate became even more important to forestall Obama reaching the necessary number of delegate to clinch the nomination. Clinton's strategy was to win out the primaries and work to convince superdelegates to support her nomination at the party convention as the best chance to beat McCain. Thus Puerto Rico, usually an afterthought in previous elections, rated visits by both candidates before the June 1st primary. Heading into the primary, Clinton led in two polls by 13% each time. The results beat poll expectations, with Clinton winning the primary 67.7% - 31.27%.

===Montana and South Dakota Democratic Primaries===
The last Democratic primaries were held on June 3rd. Senator Obama needed to win one of the primaries, and merely come close in the other to clinch the nomination. In Montana, Obama got the win he needed, defeating Senator Clinton 56.3%-41.25%. In South Dakota, Senator Clinton won, but with a close enough margin to give Obama the final delegates necessary. The result of the primary was 55.35% - 44.65%. Senator Obama was in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the site of the Republican Nominating Convention, to accept the party's unofficial nomination. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtL-1V3OZ0c Barack Obama Democratic Nomination Victory Speech]</ref>

==See Also==
[[Previous Breaking News/2008 Presidential Election|Articles about the '''2008 Presidential Election''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

== References ==
<references/>

{{2008 presidential candidates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2008, United States presidential election,}}
[[Category: United States]]
[[Category:United States Presidential Elections]]

Stand-up comedy

2008-09-03T23:19:57Z

JohnI:

'''Stand-up comedy''' is a type of performance where the comedian stands in front of a crowd and delivers a comedic monologue. Props can also be used. Well known stand-up comics include [[Jerry Seinfeld]] and [[Ricky Gervais]]. They frequently ridicule [[Conservatives]] and their beliefs.

Climate crisis

2008-09-03T20:36:12Z

JohnI: They havn't passed us YET, but they will sometime soon. The article isn't clear.

Climate crisis is the term used to declare without a doubt that [[Anthropogenic global warming]] is harming the planet. Even though the [[science]] has not been proven, hysteria and [[deceit]] attempt to discredit skeptics' claims when in fact there may be no crisis. Much of the hysteria is directed at the USA for leading the world economy in CO2 emissions. Within the near future, China will surpass the USA in CO2 emissions by completing construction of coal-fired power plants at a rate of about two a week <ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/21/world/fg-emissions21 China May Lead In Greenhouse Gases], June 21, 2007</ref>

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Earth Sciences]]

Iliad

2008-09-03T17:42:36Z

JohnI: removed redirect to... this article.

[[Image:Rubens Greek gods.jpg|thumb|Rubens, Greek gods]]
'''The Iliad''' is an epic poem written by [[Homer]], the legendary blind [[Greece|Greek]] poet, in the 8th century B.C. The poem is about the Trojan War (''Ilium'' being the Latin name of [[Troy]]). The siege of Troy is believed to have taken place in 1184 B.C.<ref>The Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy & Dupuy, 1979</ref>

''The Iliad'' was revered by Greeks and all who followed in the Greek legacy, attempting to emulate it. It received something on the order of [[Biblical]] significance by later Greeks, seeking to define the prime values of their culture - honor, and valor. [[Alexander the Great]] is said to have slept with a copy of ''The Iliad'' under his bed, and claimed to be a descendant of the Greek warrior [[Achilles]].

The Iliad is, together with the [[Odyssey]], its sequel, one of the two main ancient Greek epic poems.

::''Sing, O goddess, the anger of [[Achilles]] son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the [[Achaean]]s. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to [[Hades]], and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of [[Zeus|Jove]] fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another.''

== See also ==

*[[Atlas]]
*[[Greek mythology]]
*[[Pisistratus]]

==External Links==

* [http://www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/homer/iliad_title.htm A Modern Translation]
* [http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/iliad.html The Iliad] By Homer, written 800 B.C.

==References==

<References/>

{{Nb_mythology_iliad}}
[[Category:Poetry]]
[[Category:Ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Books]]

Atlas

2008-09-03T17:40:04Z

JohnI:

[[Image:Atlas.png|left|70px]]
In [[Greek]] [[Greek mythology|mythology]], '''Atlas''' (Mountain god) was the son of [[Iapetus]], an old [[Titan]] and [[Clymene]], a [[Nymph]]. He was the brother of [[Menoetius]], [[Prometheus]] and [[Epimetheus]].

Unlike his brothers Prometheus and Epimetheus, Atlas fought with the other Titans supporting [[Cronus]] against [[Zeus]]. Due to Cronus's advance age Atlas lead the Titan's in battle. As a result he was singled out by Zeus for a special punishment and made to hold up the world on his back. <ref>[http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/scaffold/GG/titan.html The Titans]
</ref>

Before his condemnation by Zeus, Atlas married Pleione, daughter of [[Oceanus]] and [[Tethys]]. He was the father of seven daughters known as the Pleiades: [[Electra]], Tayete, Maia, Celaeno, Alcyone, Asterope and Merope.

The main source of this mythology is: [[Hesiod]]'s ''Theogony'', Greek Epic C 8th-7th BC, a poem describing the origins of the gods of the ancient Greeks.

Atlas is best-known by his cultural association with cartography.

In the myth "Heracles (Hercules), Atlas convinced Hercules to take the weight of the Earth for a while, untill Hercules tricked Atlas into taking the Earth back.

== See also ==

*[[Cyclopes]]
*[[Gigantes]]
*[[Iliad]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.nuuanu.k12.hi.us/G-1/public_html/websites/chelsea/pages/titans.html Titans]
*[http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/titans.html Atlas]

[[Image:Rubens Greek gods.jpg|center]]

== References ==
<references/>
* Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
 

{{Nb mythology greece}}

[[category:Ancient Greece]]

User:JohnI

2008-09-03T17:29:19Z

JohnI: Something wrong with the "e" key

Hi, I am new here, but I left Wikipedia owing to their strong insistance that evolution is right. I find it worth noting that I heard about this site through Wikipedia, hence, I am now here.
Just as a note, rather than calling me JohnI, feel free to leave off the I, hence, John. I will most likely know you are referring to me.

User:JohnI

2008-09-03T17:28:49Z

JohnI:

Hi, I am new here, but I left Wikipedia owing to their strong insistance that evolution is right. I find it worth noting that I heard about this site through Wikipedia, hence, I am now here.
Just as a not, rather than calling me JohnI, feel free to leave off the I, hence, John. I will most likely know you are referring to me.

Gun

2008-09-03T17:26:51Z

JohnI: /* Science Fiction */ Flame throwers, to the best of my knowledge, are highly illegal in the United States

[[Image:Glock30.jpg|right|200px]]
The '''largely defensive weapon of gun''' fires a bullet, dart or other projectile.

The four main types of modern firearms today are bolt-operated, pump action, semi-automatic, and automatic weapons. In a bolt-action weapon, each new [[round (ordnance)|round]] must be loaded manually, by moving the [[breech]] to eject the empty casing. In pump action guns (usually shotguns) a new round must be manually loaded by pulling back on pump of the gun, located underneath the barrel.

In semi-automatic weapons, each pull of the trigger fires a bullet, each shot ejecting spent brass and loading new ammunition until the magazine is depleted. In fully automatic weapons, bullets will be fired as long as the trigger is depressed. Fully automatic fire will cause the gun to heat up very quickly, which can become dangerous as it can burn exposed flesh and because rounds may "cook off" or fire unexpectedly due to the chamber becoming hot enough to ignite the propellant.

==Gun control==

[[Gun control]] consists of limitations on the fundamental right of self-defense.

[[Conservative]]s usually emphasize the [[individualism|individual]] [[the right to self-defense]] through the use of guns. [[Liberal]]s more often oppose this individual right, and tend to dislike even guards or police carrying guns.

Guns are shown to be highly effective at deterring crime and protecting the gun owner. Police officers often use guns to enforce the law, except in some countries where the police are not armed. In the Republic of Ireland, the Garda Síochána has since its foundation held that uniformed officers do not carry guns - "The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people", as the first Commissioner said<ref>http://www.garda.ie/faq.html#G4</ref>. The current Commissioner of the Gardaí has stated that "we do not live in a 'gun culture'", despite a recent rash of armed crime. In Iceland, there are no armed forces, including the Police, and all Police only carry a baton on duty.<ref>http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/Iceland/Default.htm</ref> In addition, the regular Police forces of the UK<ref>http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=535071&in_page_id=1770</ref> and the Police Force of New Zealand do not carry firearms while on normal patrol, or in the latter case describe themselves as "generally unarmed"<ref>http://www.police.govt.nz/about/history.html</ref>. However, each of these Police forces also has highly trained specialist teams of armed Police, who are brought into play at time of need.

Studies have repeatedly shown that law-abiding citizens carrying guns are an effective deterrent against crime<ref>http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/467988</ref><ref>http://saf.org/kleck1998.pdf</ref><ref>http://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/8926.html</ref>. Further comparison between different states by [[John Lott]] indicates that states that have more conservative gun laws have lower crime rates, violent crime rates, and firearms [[homicide]]s than states with more liberal gun laws.

[[Second Amendment|Guns are also a defense against a tyrannical government.]] The 20th century has proved repeatedly that a well-armed and dedicated guerrilla army can defeat even the strongest occupying army using only small arms. Thus, guns potentially act as a deterrent against a tyrannical government.

== Science Fiction ==

[[Science fiction]], such as [[Star Trek]], has postulated many different types of directed energy weapons. These are guns that fire beams, waves, or packets of energy. Some energy guns can be set to stun, not to wound or kill. Most firearms legislation would not classify these as firearms, so their ownership would be unrestricted.

==See also==
*[[Gun control]]
==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.nra.org The National Rifle Association] Everything firearm related. Includes information on Second Amendment rights, NRA Training and Education, Politics and Legislation pertaining to gun rights.
*[http://www.a-human-right.com/ A Human Right] Discussion of the human right to self defense with a firearm.
*[http://www.learnaboutguns.com/ Learn About Guns] Firearm information and politics from a pro-firearms perspective.
*[http://www.gunowners.org/ Gun Owners of America] A no-compromise pro-gun lobby in Washington, D.C.

[[Category:Guns]]

Talk:Emotional gambling

2008-09-03T15:12:07Z

JohnI: /* Riots */

== Riots ==

I don't know the original poster's intentions, but I tend to agree with him. Supporters of sports teams often cause riots or vandalize cities. This is particularly true when the emotional stakes are very high. "Losing the gamble", that is, the supported team losing an important game, often leads to frustration, desperation, need for revenge by the supporters, and often wrong actions like rioting. If this is not the result of ''emotional gambling'', what is? --[[User:EPauper|EPauper]] 11:04, 3 September 2008 (EDT)

: Good point in that context. Perhaps you could explain it that way on the content page? I wouldn't include riots that result from a genuine sense of injustice, however, such race riots after the verdict in the beating of Rodney King.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 11:08, 3 September 2008 (EDT)

:: I do distinctly remember reading about a riot that occured in New York City after the Yankees lost to the Red Sox, should I go find it and add a link? [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 11:12, 3 September 2008 (EDT)

Debate:Why Reason?

2008-09-03T14:37:06Z

JohnI: Reverted liberal defacment.

{{debate}}

What is Logic and Philosophy that we should depend on it? [[Science]] cannot really prove anything; what about mathematics, or Reason? What is the good of it if it's only as strong as the mortal minds who concieve it? These very sentences have been reasoned by a human mind.
How can anyone trust their life to anything but an absolute truth. For instance, without the Bible, you rely on reason. You reason a moral system where every person as rights and no one can infringe anyone else's rights. But how can you know whats right and wrong if you don't have a standard? What's so special about Logic that makes it infalliable? Would even the best logic work every time? If you throw a penny in the air 100 times and it falls to the ground 100 times whos to say it will fall to the ground on the 101 first throw?

== Only the Bible is Infallible ==

Which one?
O.K. heres the thing. I can throw a penny in the air 101, 1001, or 100,000 times. It will fall to the ground. This can be measured, and proven. Give me one piece of evidence that the bible was written by anyone other than men. And don't tell me I have to take it on faith--that is the difference between fact and fantasy--I can prove facts.
:Actually, if you throw the penny ''really'' far, what you liberals call "gravity" will cease to pull it back down to our flat Earth. As your metaphor has been proven false by me, it follows that your whole point of view is wrong. --[[User:Cranky Joe|Cranky Joe]] 06:51, 3 January 2008
::What you wrote suggests that "liberals" don't realize "their gravity" weakens further away from Earth. It turns out they do. --[[User:Quantumdot|Quantumdot]] 17:26, 6 April 2008 (EDT)
you are being very foolish cranky Joe he is talking about using human strength to throw the penny it is physically impossible for a human to through a penny into space and the earth is not flat if it were then there would be a spot that if you sailed to you would just fall off the map which has never happened and if you go into space you go into space and view the earth its a sphere not a flat piece of matter just siting there

What ''liberals'' call gravity? What do you call it? --[[User:Lordofthemarsh|Lordofthemarsh]] 23:14, 1 June 2008 (EDT)

Any decent scientist would not say God does not exist. God cannot be measured and tested. He is like everything else that is outside the field of science. Scientists simply do not have a professional opinion about it. [[User:CMacloud|CMacloud]] 19:17, 21 February 2008 (EST)

== The Mind is trustworthy ==

I don't know if I agree with the parameters of this debate. Logic certainly isn't infallible, or else we wouldn't have paradoxes (for example, "this is a lie"). It does however provide the most effective tools for navigating the world around us and making sense of our experiences.

The very foundation of a debate is logic, anyway. The negators will employ logic in constructing an opposing argument, and the affirmers will use logic to counter it. The very act of reading a Bible requires feats of logic (one doesn't simply gain literacy by divine inspiration, unless you're Mohammed).

I'm all for interpretations of the Bible and contextual readings, but assuming the infallibility of anything - the Bible, the Constitution, the local phone directory - is fundamentally irrational behaviour. It precludes critical thinking and evaluation, and as such, cannot be debated in any meaningful way. [[User:Underscoreb|Underscoreb]] 23:52, 7 November 2007 (EST)

I would argue in response that logic is a process rather than a source of knowledge. As far as paradoxes go, most are purely linguistic in nature or are based on faulty premises (take Zeno's dichotomy paradox which is based on mathematical fallacy) which are just not readily apparent.

I happily accept your final paragraph though, however, i think the parameters attempted to include what you define as critical thinking and evaluation under the heading of logic. However, this is a fault of the page not defining clearly enough rather than your interpreatation.

== Science ==

One thing that seems to keep cropping up on this site is a complete lack of understanding of the scientific method. No scientist ''ever'' says something is "proven". Science is based upon the idea of falsifiability; that is, something is assumed to be the case ''until it is proven '''not''' to be.'' For example, gravity is one theory which is the best interpretation of all the evidence available. Every time a scientific study investigates gravity and it supports the theory, our confidence in the theory is increased. But the theory could be '''disproved''' with ''one'' contradictory result. You can never prove, merely disprove.

As such, something is never scientifically "proven". It is simply yet to be disproved. [[User:Dallas|Dallas]] 07:31, 15 November 2007 (EST)
:I should probably mention though that your "one contradictory result" would have to be repeatable and well-documented, but in essence, yes. :D [[User:Underscoreb|Underscoreb]] 18:10, 15 November 2007 (EST)
::Or else the Law of the Conservation of Mass and Energy would have been disproven by high school chemistry students long ago. --[[User:Capercorn]] [[User Talk:Capercorn|Talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Capercorn|contribs]] 13:45, 19 May 2008 (EDT)

==The Reliability of Logic Cannot Be Debated==

As has been said, logic cannot be used to disprove its own reliability. Logic is reliable because it is supported by the facts and the truth. IE if I throw the penny in the air, and it hits every time, then it is logical to assume it will do so again. There must be an objective truth, because if there was not, the statement "there is no objective truth" would be an objective truth. If there is an objective truth, it follows that it can be logically understood. Of course, this argument relies on logic. Do you see the futility of this debate?

Emotional gambling

2008-09-03T14:33:14Z

JohnI:

'''Emotional gambling''' is investing one's emotions in the uncertain outcome of an event, such as a sports contest. It is similar to [[gambling]] except no money is at stake. On occasions, the immense amount of emotion "invested" in an event can spark riots.

Multiplication

2008-09-03T13:55:48Z

JohnI: whoops

In its most elementary form '''multiplication''' is repeated [[addition]] of [[whole numbers]] or [[integers]].
:For example, <big><math>3\times 2 = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6</math></big>

The result of a multiplication is the ''[[product]]''. The numbers which are multiplied together are called ''[[factor]]s''.

Multiplication and addition are the only two mathematical functions that yield the same result, regardless of placement of numbers.

:For example <big><math>3\times 2 = 2\times 3</math></big>.
:Likewise <big><math>4 + 5 = 5 + 4</math></big>
They are both therefore called "[[commutative]]" operations

Exceptions apply when parentheses are used
:<big><math>2 *(3*4) = 24</math></big>
:<big><math>4 *(3*2) = 16</math></big>
==See also==
*[[Multiplication Property of Equality]]
*[[Arithmetic]]

[[Category:Algebra]]

Multiplication

2008-09-03T13:55:35Z

JohnI:

In its most elementary form '''multiplication''' is repeated [[addition]] of [[whole numbers]] or [[integers]].
:For example, <big><math>3\times 2 = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6</math></big>

The result of a multiplication is the ''[[product]]''. The numbers which are multiplied together are called ''[[factor]]s''.

Multiplication and addition are the only two mathematical functions that yield the same result, regardless of placement of numbers.

:For example <big><math>3\times 2 = 2\times 3</math></big>.
:Likewise <big><math>4 + 5 = 5 + 4</math></big>
They are both therefore called "[[commutative]]" operations

Exceptions apply when parentheses are user
:<big><math>2 *(3*4) = 24</math></big>
:<big><math>4 *(3*2) = 16</math></big>
==See also==
*[[Multiplication Property of Equality]]
*[[Arithmetic]]

[[Category:Algebra]]

John McCain

2008-09-03T13:18:56Z

JohnI: Undo revision 509943 by TheRepublican (Talk)

[[Image:Casmier.jpg|right|thumb|250px|'''Senator John McCain, R-Arizona''']] '''John Sidney McCain III''' (born in the U.S. Panama Canal Zone, August 29, 1936) <ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=m0003http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/13/Button_enter.png
Line break03 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]</ref>, prominent conservative statesman and Vietnam War hero, is the senior [[United States Senate|Senator]] of [[Arizona]]. He has been an influential fixture in American politics since 1986, when he began his political career in hard-fought campaigns against pork barrel spending and campaign finance reform. As a pilot for the United States Navy and former Prisoner-of-War (POW), he served in the military for 22 years, meriting several accolades from the Armed forces.<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=m000303 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]</ref> McCain, a [[Baptist]],<ref> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,296973,00.html</ref> has impressive credentials on issues of foreign policy and national security, which have propelled him in the forefront of national politics as both an outspoken voice for the United States military and as a Presidential contender for the Republican Party since 1993.<ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People. Published 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-47545-9</ref> McCain is currently the presumptive [[Republican]] nominee for [[President of the United States of America|President of the United States]] in the [[2008 Presidential Election|2008 Election]]. <ref>[http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/NATIONWORLD/803050441/0/LOCAL1901 ''McCain clinches GOP nomination; Huckabee bows out''] 5 March 2008 IndyStar.com</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,255535,00.html John McCain Announces Plans for '08 Presidential Candidacy on 'Late Night With David Letterman'], Associated Press, 1 March 2007</ref>

==Early Life==
McCain's family has a long history of military service, including ancestors who fought as army soldiers in the Indian Wars, [[American Revolutionary War]], [[War of 1812]], for the Confederate States of America in the [[American Civil War]], and in [[World War I]]. Both his father and grandfather were high-ranking United States Navy admirals. In addition, McCain's two sons are currently serving in the U.S. Navy.

In 1951, the McCain family moved to Northern [[Virginia]] and he attended Episcopal High School, a private preparatory boarding school in Alexandria. McCain was on the wrestling team and went on to graduate in 1954. He later joined the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 1958.

==Military career==
[[Image:McCain 1965.jpg|left|thumb|200px|McCain photographed in 1965]]
McCain served heroically in the [[United States Navy]] from 1958 to 1981. He spent two and a half years as a naval aviator in training at the Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida and the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas. By 1967, McCain was a veteran pilot aboard the ''USS Forrestal'' aircraft carrier off the coast of Vietnam. On 29 July 1967, while preparing to take off on a bombing run over North Vietnam, a missile accidentally fired from another plane, hitting the fuel tanks on McCain's aircraft and triggering explosions and a fire. McCain escaped from his plane by crawling onto the nose of the aircraft and diving on to the ship's deck which was ablaze from burning fuel. His attempt to rescue a fellow pilot whose flight suit was on fire was prevented when McCain was blown over by further explosions. When the fire was contained 24 hours later, 134 men had been killed and hundreds more injured. It was called the worst non-combat-related accident in U.S. naval history.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=526451&in_page_id=1811 ''The coronation of the ultimate survivor, John McCain''] 5 March 2008 [[Daily Mail]]</ref>

===Prisoner-Of-War (1967 - 1973)===

On October 26, 1967, as McCain was flying over Hanoi's Thermal Power Plant during his 23rd bombing mission, he was shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese. He had just released his bombs when [[A-4 Skyhawk|his plane]] was shot down by a surface-to-air missile. As he ejected, unconscious from the accident, he broke his knee and both arms and descended by parachute into a lake. When he floated ashore, Vietnamese locals spit and kicked him, nearly killing him. The police took him to Hoa Loa Prison where he was held in solitary captivity without medical attention or sufficient food. During brutal interrogations, he was asked for information in return for medical care. McCain refused, giving only his name and date of birth. When it was discovered that he was the son of a top U.S. Admiral, he was given medical care. Hospital personnel never believed he would survive, as he had large wounds and weighed a mere 100 lbs. He also had completely white hair, a product of accelerated aging under harsh conditions. Nonetheless, his health improved and McCain was held as a Prisoner-Of-War (POW) at the Hanoi Hilton. As a prisoner, guards tortured him with frequent beatings and painful contortions, breaking his teeth and bones. <ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People. Published 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-47545-9</ref>

After months of beating sessions and intense interrogations, McCain was psychologically and physically weakened. At one point, he was forced to sign a statement which made claims exonerating his captors of inhumane treatment. The paper was intended for use as propaganda, but in all their subsequent attempts for promoting a "humane" image of the POW camp, McCain worked his hardest to thwart them. In 1971, four years from his capture, he was placed with 20 to 30 other Americans in better treatment. They were allowed to celebrate Christian holidays, including Christmas. McCain, who served as an impromptu chaplain, recalled that during their services, men cried; "They were tears of joy that for the first time... we were able to celebrate Christmas together."<ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People. Published 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-47545-9</ref> In light of his father's high military status, McCain was offered early release, which he adamantly refused in honor of the "First in, first out" clause of the POW Code of Conduct.

On March 14, 1973, after five and a half years of imprisonment, McCain was released alongside 106 other pilots under the Nixon administration. McCain received a heartfelt reception at the White House and was pronounced a war hero and eminent voice for the Vietnam War. Awards from the military followed, including the Legion of Merit, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a [[Purple Heart]], the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Vietnamese Legion of Honor.<ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People. Published 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-47545-9</ref>

===Return to the Navy (1973 - 1981)===

The Vietnam War and his military service remained strong in McCain's memory. He immediately wanted to rejoin the Navy, and spent years preparing with excruciating physical therapy and a year of study in the Naval War College, where he attacked the liberal anti-war movement for weakening the morale of his fellow POWs.<ref>Kirkpatrick, David D. "[http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/14/america/15pows.php In '74 thesis, the seeds of McCain's war views.]" The New York Times (June 15, 2008) p. A1.]</ref> With his extensive experience in the Navy's Aviation division, he was selected to reform the flying fleet as Commanding Officer. John McCain quickly transformed his crew's personnel, which had been underfunded in the post-Vietnam era. Carl Smith, who served under McCain, stated, "He immediately began making changes. He fired people, and he replaced people at the top who he thought were not being as effective as he wanted them to be. He wanted real leadership. He wanted the squadron to come to life."<ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People. pg. 57</ref> Many in his staff were disappointed to have him leave, and praised his work in promoting efficiency.<ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People.</ref>

During a reassignment to the Senate as the Navy's liaison, McCain began to join the ranks of politicians. He transformed the position from a rather unimportant post into one of authority and respect{{fact}}, gaining allies in the Senate. Particularly for someone who had disagreed with the government's military tactics in Vietnam, the Senate was an excellent place for McCain to support the military and help in foreign affairs in the post-Vietnam era.

He had difficulties with his wife after his return home due, in part, to her damaging car accident. While in Hawaii with Pacific commanders on business, he met Cindy Lou Hensley, the daughter of a prominent Anheuser-Busch beer franchise founder.<ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People. pg. 91</ref> The two met several times and six weeks after McCain divorced his wife Carol (April 2, 1980) he married Cindy (May 17, 1980) in Phoenix.

==Political career==
===Congressional (1982 - 1986)===

McCain had been working in [[Phoenix]] for his father-in-law's company, Hensley & Co, which was an Anheuser-Busch beer wholesaler and distributor. With nagging injuries and limited physical mobility, McCain realized he would never become a four-star general like his forefathers.<ref>[http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9542249 John McCain Biography (1936-)]</ref> Some biographers argue that he shifted into politics so that he could achieve the equivalent in politics, leading to his Senatorial career. After gaining support from local business leaders, he ran for a congressional seat for Arizona's 1st congressional district as a Republican in 1982. His [[liberal]] opponents labeled him as a "carpetbagger". McCain responded to a voter making the charge of "carpetbagging" saying,

{{cquote|Listen, pal. I spent 22 years in the Navy. My father was in the Navy. My grandfather was in the Navy. We in the military service tend to move a lot. We have to live in all parts of the country, all parts of the world. I wish I could have had the luxury, like you, of growing up and living and spending my entire life in a nice place like the First District of Arizona, but I was doing other things. As a matter of fact, when I think about it now, the place I lived longest in my life was Hanoi.}}

With the endorsements of local newspapers, McCain easily won the election. In 1983, he became President of the Republican freshman class of representatives. At the time, he largely supported Reagan's hard stance against the [[Soviet Union]], his tax cuts and matters on Indian Affairs. He did, however, break with the President on the decision to attack Lebanon, saying {{cquote|''I do not foresee obtainable objectives in Lebanon; I believe the longer we stay, the more difficult it will be to leave.''<ref>Alexander, Paul. John McCain: Man of the People. pg. 100</ref>}} During his four years in [[Congress]], McCain and his wife Cindy had three children.

===Senatorial (1986 - Present)===
[[Image:Reagan mccain.jpg|left|thumb|300px|3/3/1987 President Reagan and Nancy Reagan greet John McCain in the Blue Room during a dinner for newly elected members of the 100th Congress]]
When Republican and [[conservative]] icon [[Barry Goldwater]] retired from the United States Senate in Arizona in 1986, Congressman McCain announced his candidacy for the seat. He easily won the election, defeating his Democratic opponent Richard Kimball by 20 percentage points. When entering the Senate, he became a member of the powerful Armed Services Committee and he also joined the Commerce Committee and the Indian Affairs Committee. During the 1988 Presidential Election, McCain was named chairman of Veterans for Bush. In 1991, Senator McCain became part of the "Keating Five" scandal, where McCain and four other Senators (all Democrats) were accused of improperly aiding Charles H. Keating, Jr., chairman of the failed Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, which was the target of an investigation by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. Between 1982 and 1987, McCain had received approximately $112,000 in political contributions from Charles Keating Jr. After a lengthy investigation, the Senate Ethics Committee determined that McCain was not involved in any wrongdoing, and McCain, along with the four other Senators, was not charged with any crimes.

===="Maverick" Image in the Senate====
John McCain has gained a reputation as a "maverick" for his sponsorship of many bills and leadership on almost every issue. Starting in 1994, he worked with Democratic [[Wisconsin]] Senator [[Russ Feingold]] on campaign finance reform. The McCain-Feingold bill banned "soft money". It passed and was signed into law on November 6th, 2002, by President Bush. In the 1990's, McCain gained attention for his strong opposition to pork barrel spending. He championed the 1996 Line Item Veto Act, which gave the President the power to veto individual spending items. However, in 1998, the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] ruled the act unconstitutional.

Voteview.com rated McCain as the second most conservative Senator in the 109th Congress (Jan. 2005 - Jan. 2007).<ref>http://voteview.com/SEN109.HTM</ref>

John McCain and the Bush administration agree on most issues. He voted with the Bush administration 95% of the time in 2007, according to Congressional Quarterly's "Presidential Support Scores". <ref>http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/512/ Politifact fact checks McCain's voting support</ref> Issues include making the Bush tax cuts permanent (even though he originally opposed and voted against them), energy independence, winning the war in Iraq, reforming Social Security, and continuing and expanding Bush's supply-side economic policies.

===2000 Presidential Campaign===
McCain launched his first campaign for President in 2000, when he challenged then-[[Texas]] Governor [[George W. Bush]] for the Republican nomination. McCain's campaign was surprisingly strong. By ignoring the [[Iowa Caucus]], he was able to win the [[New Hampshire]] Primary by nineteen percentage points. He then won the [[Michigan]] Primary. However, he went on to lose [[South Carolina]] and 9 out of the 13 [[Super Tuesday]] states. McCain withdrew from the race on March 9, 2000.

====After 2000====
Following the McCain's loss in the 2000 Presidential primary and reports of dirty tricks in [[South Carolina]]<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/03/21/the_anatomy_of_a_smear_campaign/ The anatomy of a smear campaign, March 21, 2004</ref><ref>http://www.palmettoscoop.com/2007/12/30/top-romney-advisor-tied-to-anonymous-attacks-of-previous-presidential-primary/ Top Romney advisor tied to anonymous attacks of previous presidential primary, December 30, 2007</ref>, McCain began to disagree with President Bush on many issues, such as tax cuts, climate change, and gun legislation. After the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], McCain wrote legislation that created the 9/11 Commission, while he and Democratic Senator Fritz Hollings co-sponsored the Aviation and Transportation Security Act that federalized airport security. In May 2005, McCain led the so-called "[[Gang of 14]]" in the Senate, which established a compromise that preserved the ability of senators to filibuster judicial nominees, but only in "extraordinary circumstances". McCain also co-sponsored comprehensive immigration reform (see below under political record for details). In addition to bipartisan work in the Senate, it was during this period that McCain was courted by the Senate Democrats, and considered switching parties.<ref>http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/democrats-say-mccain-nearly-abandoned-gop-2007-03-28.html</ref>

===2008 Presidential Campaign===

{{main|John McCain 2008 Presidential Campaign}}

McCain announced his run for President in the highly volatile 2008 Republican primary early in 2007 at New Hampshire. Throughout the early months, the debates represented a splintered Party among the strong Christian constituency (Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee), anti-immigration activists (Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo), and the blockbuster fundraising by Mitt Romney and Giuliani, who appeared to be media favorites upon entry. Mitt Romney raised $23 million in the first three months of 2007, for instance, three times that of Sen. McCain. In addition, McCain's refusal to sign pacts with important donors and his distaste for political fundraising<ref>Cook, Charles. "The 2008 Presidential Primaries: What in America's Name Is Going On?" The Washington Quarterly Vol. 31 Issue 3 pp. 193-204.</ref>often left him at odds with the other candidates, namely Rudy Giuliani, who amassed over $10 million in March 2007 alone.<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aZ7SuEo0wuMM&refer=home</ref>

McCain failed to win strong support because of his maverick image, especially with difficult relationships with key Christian leaders. Social conservatives flocked to Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee with strong disfavor for McCain because of his mixed statements on abortion and religious initiatives. Many evangelicals remained reluctant to support McCain because of longstanding offense he had raised during his 2000 campaign against George W. Bush; news had been raised that many influential Christian organizations would schism from the GOP if they did not reconcile relationships with the Republican Party nominee.<ref>Luo, Michael. "Evangelicals see Dilemma in GOP Field." July 8, 2007. New York Times.</ref> McCain also suffered from his strong support for the Iraq war, which had erupted in sharp violence during early 2007, and was booed off-stage for his position on immigration reform, a hotly-debated issue among conservatives. Taken together, a damaging story by the New York Times claiming McCain had an affair with a lobbyist finally caused an enormous plummet in the polls.

When news had spread that McCain's campaign bankrupted and "imploded" in the summer of 2007, the Republican nomination began a period of quick shifting; other candidates began to soar in the polls, detracting McCain's support. Rudy Giuliani, who collected a strong following based on his leadership as "America's Mayor", began to court evangelical Christians who felt uneasy about McCain, gaining the endorsement of televangelist Pat Robertson. However, as his less-than-flattering personal life and liberal positions on social issues became apparent, he quickly lost momentum to Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee.<ref>Cook, Charles. "The 2008 Presidential Primaries: What in America's Name Is Going On?" The Washington Quarterly Vol. 31 Issue 3 pp. 193-204.</ref> Fred Thompson, who entered late in the race, quickly withdrew because of lackadaisical popularity and poor fund-raising efforts. Huckabee remained popular in the Southern United States, but failed to win major contests among independents and Democrat voters.

Romney had the edge in early races, but couldn't deliver a knockout blow. McCain's poll numbers slowly increased and benefited as the field narrowed. After McCain defeated top contender Mitt Romney by a large margin on Super Tuesday in delegate-rich states like New York, California, and Arizona,<ref>Scott Neuman and Howard Berkes. "Mitt Romney Drops Out of GOP Presidential Race." Feb. 7, 2008. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18772382</ref> Mitt Romney withdrew with some protest, leaving McCain the clear front-runner.<ref>Bumiller, Elisabeth, Kirkpatrick, David. "Romney Is Out; McCain Emerges as G.O.P. Choice." Feb. 8, 2008. New York Times.</ref> Although McCain's proportion of the vote was not much higher than Romney's, he won most of the 'winner take all' states giving him a much higher proportion of the delegate count. Without Romney's well-financed opposition, McCain easily clinched the necessary delegate lead of 1,191 in March after a spirited yet short-lived fight from Mike Huckabee.<ref>NPR.org. "Election 2008: Huckabee, Romney Stay in Race for GOP Nomination." Feb. 6, 2008. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18739137</ref>

==Political Views==
'''Domestic Issues'''
===Balanced Budget===
McCain has emphasized reducing government spending over tax cuts. He is one of the Senate's most outspoken critics of pork barrel spending and has pledged to veto any bill with pork as President. Congressional experience has enabled John McCain to identify items that are unnecessary. McCain is fiscally responsible with the taxpayers money and created a simple method to detect spending abuses. <ref>[http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=d1a878d9-f16c-4570-b402-9d1bc3fe6ab9] , http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=d1a878d9-f16c-4570-b402-9d1bc3fe6ab9, U.S. Senate Pork Barrel Spending</ref>

* An appropriation that is not properly authorized by the Senate and not requested by the Administration.
* An unauthorized and unrequested, locality-specific or facility-specific earmark (including those funds that are above the Administration request).
* A budget add-on that would be subject to a budget point of order.
* The transfer or disposal of federal property or items under terms that circumvent existing law.
* New items added in conference that were never considered in either bill in either House.

===[[Education]]===
McCain supports school vouchers and charter schools. His voting record shows support for reducing the federal government's role in education. He voted for school vouchers for Washington, D.C., education savings accounts, and against $5 billion for grants to local educational agencies. McCain sponsored the Education A-Plus bill in 1997 and again in 1999, which allowed parents to open tax-free saving accounts for their children's school supplies. McCain also co-sponsored the Child Nutrition Act, which would provide federal funding for at-risk children. He has publicly stated he supports [[intelligent design]] teaching in schools.<ref>http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/90069 "On Tuesday, though, he sided with the president on two issues that have made headlines recently: teaching intelligent design in schools...McCain told the Star that, like Bush, he believes "all points of view" should be available to students studying the origins of mankind."</ref>

===Health Care===
McCain's record and stated positions on health care are based on true conservative principles. He is against socialized health care and health coverage mandates. McCain supports tax credits for personal health savings accounts and enhancing competition in the health care industry to improve quality and lower costs. He also supports allowing citizens to purchase out-of-state health insurance. In an October 2007 statement, McCain said: "In health care, we believe in enhancing the freedom of individuals to receive necessary and desired care. We do not believe in coercion and the use of state power to mandate care, coverage or costs." McCain is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership. <ref>[http://www.republicanmainstreet.org/healthcare.htm Pro Healthcare]</ref>

===Energy===
John McCain has stated "ethanol subsidies, tariff barriers and sugar quotas drive up food prices and hurt Americans. However, we cannot take the wrong direction and cut off trade for American goods."<ref>[http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/4dbd2cc7-890e-47f1-882f-b8fc4cfecc78.htm], McCain Economic Plan</ref> “America’s most vital interests call us to the mission of energy security, and so does our sense of honor. And the straightest, swiftest path to energy security is to produce more, use less, and find new sources of power — so that no commodity can determine our security, and no crisis can undermine our economy,” McCain said in Houston, TX, June 16, 2008. He proposes to remove federal obstacles to offshore drilling. Among his major initiatives is the removal of the 27-year old federal moratorium on states’ abilities to explore and drill for oil and natural gas.<ref>[http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/06/17/mccain-slaps-obama-on-energy-calls-for-more-drilling/], McCain slaps Obama on energy, June 17th, 2008</ref> In addition, he wants the states to receive incentives and royalties to drill. The current ban on offshore drilling covers an estimated 80 percent of U.S. coastal waters."We've seen the impact of it in the form of food prices, in the form of gasoline, in the form of threats of inflation and indeed indications of inflation, and we must embark on a national mission to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil." <ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080616/ap_on_el_pr/mccain] , http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080616/ap_on_el_pr/mccain , AP McCain urges end to ban on offshore drilling , June 16, 2008</ref> He indicated, though, that the end of the ban on offshore drilling would have mostly psychological effects in the short term. At a town hall meeting, McCain stated, "I don't see an immediate relief, but I do see that exploitation of existing reserves that may exist -- and in view of many experts that do exist off our coasts -- is also a way that we need to provide relief. Even though it may take some years, the fact that we are exploiting those reserves would have psychological impact that I think is beneficial."
He would support incentives for building new nuclear power plants. <ref>http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/24/1163504.aspx</ref> John McCain wants more nuclear reactors to increase America's energy independence. He is calling for the construction of 45 new reactors by 2030. Also, McCain wants to increase federal funds for clean coal technology by 2 billion dollars to reduce dependence on foreign oil. <ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D91CMT0O0&show_article=1] , http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D91CMT0O0&show_article=1 , AP McCain calls for building 45 new nuclear reactors, June 18, 2008</ref>
McCain supports increasing ethanol imports and more production of hybrid vehicles. He is co-sponsor of a Senate cap-and-trade bill designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions. He has consistently voted for preserving the budget for ANWR but against drilling for [[oil]] in the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]] (ANWR), because of environmental concerns. Conservationists differ from conservatives that 2000 acres for oil drilling is not enough to impact [[polar bears]] in the region.

===[[Environment]]===
McCain's position on global warming issues has put him at odds with conservatives. His environmental proposals are mostly sound modern thinking by someone that understands the enormity of the problem. McCain says that we can go green as a nation without bankrupting America. Per his website, Senator McCain "wants to leave a better future for our children."
On January 2007, McCain said, "we continue to learn more about the science of climate change and the dangerous precedence of not addressing this environmental problem. The science tells us that urgent and significant action is needed." On October 30, 2003, he co-sponsored the Climate Stewardship Act (S.139), which was defeated. McCain is a member of, and was endorsed by, the Republicans for Environmental Protection organization. His conservative stances include voting to confirm Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior and he is in favor of renewable energy such as solar, hydro, and wind. "Wind power is one of many alternative energy sources that are changing our economy for the better, and one day they will change our economy forever."

===[[Immigration]]===
John McCain says that he will secure the borders first and many immigration issue are still needed but will have to come later. In 2007, McCain worked to provide border security efforts with a temporary worker program and an eventual path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. Conservatives wanted nothing to do with the proposal and in June 2007, Congress' efforts collapsed. McCain said of the outcome,"I say it is a lesson learned about what the American people's priorities are. And their priority is to secure the borders." <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-11-03-610628094_x.htm] , http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-11-03-610628094_x.htm, AP McCain emphasizes border security, November 4, 2007</ref> "..I support the same solution. But we've got to secure the borders first" says McCain

On Jan. 5, regarding the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, Senator McCain announced that anyone who says he supported amnesty is "a liar, is lying." The senator stated "I do not support, nor would I ever support, any services provided to someone who came to this country illegally, nor would I ever and I never have supported [[Social Security]] benefits for people who are in this country illegally. Any assertion to the contrary is absolutely false." During the comprehensive immigration reform debate, Senator McCain voted to table an amendment that would have prevented illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security who "are not able to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity."<ref>http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00130</ref> Senator McCain stated in a May 29, 2003 interview, "Amnesty has to be an important part because there are people who have lived in this country for 20, 30 or 40 years, who have raised children here and pay taxes here and are not citizens." Arguing amnesty is not a free pass or a reward for law breaking, McCain stated, "Well, because amnesty, according to the dictionary, is forgiveness. The proposal that we had- would require fines, would require back in the line, would require deportation for some. It would require others to go back to the country of their origin" <ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/John_McCain_Immigration.htm] , Ontheissues.com, John McCain on Immigration</ref> At the [[Republican]] debate at the Reagan Library, McCain stated he supports the deportation of 2 million illegals who have committed crimes in the USA.

Conversely, in a June 2008 meeting with Hispanic leaders in Chicago, McCain indicated he would push legislation to overhaul federal immigration laws if elected. According to one attendee, Rosanna Pulido, head of the Illinois [[Minuteman Project]], ""He's one John McCain in front of white Republicans. And he's a different John McCain in front of Hispanics..." <ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/20/mccain-discusses-immigrat_n_108297.html McCain Discusses Immigration With Hispanic Leaders</ref> <ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-06-19-4020801806_x.htm McCain Meets With Hispanic Leaders</ref> Pulido further stated, "He was telling one group of people one thing and the Hispanics another, I'm a conservative and I think he's throwing conservatives under the bus."<ref>http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/06/title----mcca-1.html McCain Double-Talk on Immigration?</ref> Due to his support, members of the Minuteman Project, participating in the Minuteman Project Caravan, traveled to Washington, D.C. to register their disapproval. They made an entry into McCain's Guest Log Book asking him to uphold the Constitution and enforce the law. After making the entry, the group was forced to leave by a senior staffer for Senator McCain or be reported to the police. <ref>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1643181/posts Minuteman Project Thrown Out of McCain's Office</ref>

Senator McCain's position on illegal immigration has arguably resulted in the most criticisms from conservatives. On May 12, 2005, McCain joined Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] (D-[[Massachusetts]]) as co-sponsor of the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act. The bill would legalize and eventually grant citizenship to the estimated 12–20 million [[illegal alien]]s in the United States and have them immediately start collecting social security and other government benefits. The bill never came for a vote on the Senate floor. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 are two additional compromises based on the original McCain-Kennedy bill. McCain has consistently voted for visas for skilled workers. McCain voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006 and has said border security should be a bigger priority then the illegal aliens who are currently here.

===Global Trade===
McCain has actively supported reducing barriers to trade and has shown leadership in the [[Senate]] on Free Trade Agreements (FTA). Senator McCain supports both pending FTAs for Columbia and [[South Korea]]. <ref>[http://useconomy.about.com/od/candidatesandtheeconomy/p/McCain_Trade.htm], John McCain and Trade</ref> He voted for and defends the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

===[[Social Security]]===
McCain is a strong supporter of private Social Security accounts.

===Tax Reform===
In 2001, McCain gained attention as one of only two Republicans who voted against President Bush's tax cuts. He opposed accelerating the cuts in 2003, saying, "I voted against the tax cuts because of the disproportional amount that went to the wealthiest Americans. I would clearly support not extending those tax cuts in order to help address the deficit." He has now changed his stance, by voting to make the tax cuts permanent, and says he would do the same as President. In 2002, Senator McCain was one of only two Republicans to twice vote against the permanent repeal of the Death Tax. He has also refused to sign a pledge put forth by Americans for Tax Freedom not to impose any new taxes or increase existing taxes. However, many of McCain's votes has shown support for lower taxes, such as eliminating the marriage penalty, a 1997 vote to cut capital gains taxes and he introduced measures that would require a sixty-vote majority to pass a tax increase.

'''Foreign Policy'''

===National Security===

McCain urges Senate to pass FISA. “For months, House Democrats, the [[ACLU]], and the trial lawyers have held up legislation to modernize our nation’s terrorist surveillance laws. Today, the House passed a compromise bill to end this impasse. While I would have preferred to see the Senate bill enacted, which I voted for earlier this year, I am pleased Congressional leaders and the Administration were able to reach an agreement to reform our current surveillance law and not let FISA expire in August. I hope [[Senate]] Democrats will allow this matter to quickly be considered by the Senate and sent to the President for his signature. I will support this measure and hope that politics will be put aside in favor of this vital national security matter.” <ref>[http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressOffice.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=a7f9dc6c-da0e-459d-dd6c-91e20a46e1e5] , McCAIN URGES SENATE PASSAGE OF FISA
, June 20, 2008</ref> Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was established in 1978.

McCain has voted in support of the [[Patriot Act|USA PATRIOT Act]] as well as National Missile Defense. However, he has joined [[liberal]]s in support of immediately closing [[Guantanamo Bay]], and moving all the prisoners to Fort Leavenworth. On October 3, 2005, he introduced the McCain Detainee Amendment which prohibits inhumane treatment of prisoners, including prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. The bill was passed and signed by President [[George W. Bush]]. McCain has recently criticized the practice of [[waterboarding]], saying "they should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture." McCain voted against HR 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which included provisions that would have prevented the CIA from water boarding prisoners.

===[[Iran]]===
McCain has said that "We continue to be concerned about Iranian influence and assistance to Hezbollah as well as Iranian pursuit of nuclear weapons." He tried to ban Iran from playing in the 2006 World Cup, citing Iranian President [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]]'s [[Holocaust]] denials.
In a speech to war veterans, McCain committed to proactive actions against Iran and he joked with a parody of the Beach Boy's hit song "Barbara Ann" by singing 'bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb, Iran'

===[[Iraq]]===
McCain voted with the majority [[Republican]] party and 29 Democrats of the Senate in favor of the 2002 "Iraq War Resolution" authorizing President George W. Bush to go to war against Iraq and overthrow the [[Saddam Hussein]] regime. In 1998, McCain voted in favor of HR 4655 Iraq Liberation Act, signed by then President Clinton. <ref>[http://www.iraqwatch.org/government/US/Legislation/ILA.htm], http://www.iraqwatch.org/government/US/Legislation/ILA.htm, HR4655 Public Law: 105-338, October 31, 1998</ref> HR 4655 declares that it should be the policy of the United States to seek to remove the Saddam Hussein regime from power in Iraq and to replace it with a democratic government. McCain went on to became a critic of the management of the war, arguing that there wasn't enough troop strength in the area. However, he never became a defeatist advocating surrender. McCain publicly stated that he had "no confidence" in then-Secretary of Defense [[Donald Rumsfeld]]. However, he refused to call for his resignation, saying that "the president picks his team, and the president has the right to stay with that team if he wants to." McCain became one of the strongest leading advocates in the Senate for the 2007 troop surge, which increased the number of American troops by 20,500, deployed to provide security to [[Baghdad]] and Al Anbar Province. On February 4, he criticized a non-binding resolution opposing the troop buildup, calling it a reckless "vote of no confidence" in the U.S. Commanders and in the military. Additionally, he voted against all measures aimed at withdrawal of U.S. forces and voted against cutting off of war funds. McCain rightly believes that Congress should not micromanage the war and to give the military everything they ask for to successfully complete the mission. He has mentioned in a town hall forum that staying the course in Iraq for 'a hundred years' would not bother him if no American soldier's were losing their lives. This became an issue for Democratic political strategy. The DNC lead by chairman [[Howard Dean]] repeatedly tried to use false statements in justifying attacking McCain.<ref>[http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/04/mccains_100year_war.html]http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/04/mccains_100year_war.html, Washington post Fact Checker, April 2, 2008</ref> What McCain said is very different from what the liberal media and the DNC were reporting. Asked in Derry, NH of the willingness to keep troops in Iraq for 50 years, he said "Make it 100" and

{{QuoteBox|"That's fine with me as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed."}}

==Social Issues==
===[[Abortion]]===
{{QuoteBox|"If I am fortunate enough to be elected as the next President of the United States, I pledge to you to be a loyal and unswerving friend of the right to life movement."}}

Sen. John McCain has more than a twenty year anti-abortion record, first in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]], then in the U.S. Senate. McCain voted 11 times on anti-abortion and other pro-life issues in the House. Senator McCain has voted 119 times on anti-abortion and other pro-life measures in the Senate. <ref>[http://www.naral.org/assets/files/mccain_fact_sheet.pdf], http://www.naral.org/assets/files/mccain_fact_sheet.pdf</ref>

* Voted against a [[Roe v. Wade]] resolution
* Co-sponsored and voted for the Federal Abortion Ban
* Supported H.R.1997, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act

"Voted for four anti-abortion U.S. Supreme Court judges"

"Voted for six anti-abortion lower court judges"

* Supported H.R.3913, to prohibit federal funds for abortion services in any case
* Voted to make it a federal crime for anyone but a parent to cross state lines for abortion termination
* Voted in favor of a national network of parental notification.

''John McCain's Pro-Life Words''

“I do not support Roe v. Wade. It should be overturned.”Ann Althouse, Rudy & Mitt Hem & Haw on Abortion, N.Y. TIMES, Feb. 24, 2007.

Sen. McCain’s campaign website “believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned.” John McCain for President 2008, On the Issues: Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life
{{QuoteBox|"I have many, many votes and it’s been consistent. And I’ve got a consistent zero from NARAL throughout all those years…."}}

"My record is clear. And I think the important thing is you look at people’s voting record because sometimes rhetoric can be a little… misleading…. As you know I don’t support Roe v. Wade…. I thought it was a bad decision, and I think that the decision should be made in the states"
(John McCain for President 2008, On the Issues: Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life)

“I’m proud that we have Justice Alito and Roberts on the United States Supreme Court. I’m very proud to have played a very small role in making that happen.” McCain explained further that he “will try to find clones of Alito and Roberts” to fill future court vacancies.<ref>[http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=26539], Letter from Sen. John McCain to Pro‐Life Community Janary 23, 2008</ref>

McCain's record in the Senate on abortion is pro-life. He voted for the 2003 Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act. McCain is also voted against government funding of birth control and sex education.<ref>http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00214 Voted Nay on an amendment to authorize grants to carry out programs to provide education on preventing teen pregnancies</ref> <ref>http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00075 Vote against allocation of $100m for prevention of unintended pregnancies </ref><ref>http://www.nowpublic.com/quiet-campaign-against-contraception Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain's campaign officials boast that he has "consistently voted against taxpayer-funded contraception programs." And Mr. McCain reports that his adviser on sexual-health matters is Sen. Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, who leads campaigns claiming condoms are unsafe and opposing emergency contraception.</ref> During his first Presidential campaign for the 2000 election, McCain said the following on [[Roe v. Wade]], "I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations." <ref>http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/feb/07021908.html McCain's "</ref> He has since changed his position, saying Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

===[[Gun Control]]===
A top official of the [[National Rifle Association]] said Republican John McCain has been a reliable ally of gun owners despite divisions with the powerful lobbying group on some issues. NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre told The Associated Press "...We're not foolish enough to ignore the vast areas of agreement in which John McCain has been a friend to gun owners." <ref>[http://www.gopusa.com/news/2008/may/0514_nra_mccain.shtml], http://www.gopusa.com/news/2008/may/0514_nra_mccain.shtml, NRA chief stresses common ground with McCain, May 14, 2008</ref> The Republican presidential nominee has voted against a ban on assault-type weapons with restrictions which were objected.

McCain's record on gun control is mixed. He co-sponsored the Gun Show Loophole Closing and Gun Law Enforcement Act of 2001, that would reduce gun shows, require gun-owners to purchase trigger locks, and allow federal agents to arrest those who violate federal gun laws. However, McCain has frequently voted in support of the Second Amendment, such as voting against background checks at gun shows and voting in support of prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. In August of 1999, McCain said he was open to voting for an assault weapon ban, depending on the details. However, he still voted against the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and the efforts to renew it, as well as the Brady Bill.

===[[Same-sex marriage]]===
In the speech on the Senate floor July 13th, 2004, McCain stated “Mr. President, most Americans believe, as I do, that the institution of marriage should be reserved for the union of a man and a woman." <ref>http://www.friendsofmccain.com/news/dspnews.cfm?id=143</ref> John McCain revealed his decision based on super majority requirements and the current political realities within Congress. “By my count, there is not at this time even a small majority of senators who would vote for Senator Allard’s amendment, much less the 67 votes required by the Constitution. That won’t change, Mr. President, unless public opinion changes significantly. The [[Founders]], wisely, made certain that the Constitution is difficult to amend, and, as a practical political matter, can’t be done without overwhelming public approval. And thank God for that. Were it any easier I fear we could not make the claim for the Constitution’s enduring success that I have just made." Further, he explained his approach to the amendment's ultimate success “If a constitution is to be amended, Mr. President, it should be a state constitution." McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment. In May 2008, the California Supreme Court effectively created a ruling to grant same-sex partners equal rights to [[Marriage]] and to be recognized by the state. A spokesman for Republican John McCain, who opposes gay marriage, said the Arizona senator "doesn't believe judges should be making these decisions."

==Attitude Towards His Captors==
McCain had previously used the racial slur "gooks" to refer to his Vietnamese captors who tortured him for many years, but upon realizing the sensitivity his use of the term could have within the greater Asian community he has since apologized, stating, "I apologize and renounce all language that is bigoted and offensive."<ref>http://www.asianweek.com/2000_02_24/feature_mccainapology.html</ref> Attitudes among Asian peoples have been generally supportive of McCain.

== Votes missed ==
As of August 2007, McCain had missed more votes during the current session of Congress than any Senator other than [[South Dakota]] [[Democrat]] [[Tim Johnson]], who had suffered a brain hemorrhage that had kept him from Congress. He had missed over 48% of his votes. <ref>Lawrence Journal-World, August 10, 2007</ref> This is due to the fact that he is running a nationwide campaign for President.

==Personal life==
[[Image:Cindy McCain.jpg|thumb|Cindy McCain]]
McCain has been married twice. His first marriage, to Carol Shepp, ended in [[divorce]] in 1980 after 15 years of marriage. Carol Shepp ran the White House Visitors Office under President [[Ronald Reagan]]. McCain admitted responsibility for the breakup.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/rules021299.htm</ref> His second and current wife is Cindy Lou Hensley, to whom he has been married for 28 years. His son John Sidney IV is a Midshipman at the [[United States Naval Academy]], Annapolis, and his son James is a non-commissioned officer in the [[United States Marine Corps]], who is serving in [[Iraq]] as part of [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]]. Also, the McCains adopted a ten-week old baby girl in 1993, who they named Bridget, from [[Mother Teresa]]'s orphanage in [[Bangladesh]].<ref>[http://celebrity.rightpundits.com/?p=3183 Bridget McCain Biography] Rightpundits.com</ref> <ref>[http://www.newsanalysisindia.com/109022008.htm Bridget vs Sonia: McCain vs Rajiv Gandhi] News Analysis India</ref>
Cindy McCain was in the country as part of the American Voluntary Medical Team <ref>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-041408-cindy-mccain-bio,1,2151434.story Bio of Cindy McCain]</ref> in response to the 1991 [[Bangladesh]] cyclone.
===McCain's family===
*Wife Cindy
*4 sons
**Douglas
**Andrew
**John (''"Jack"'') Sidney IV
**James
*3 daughters
**Sidney
**Meghan
**Bridget
*Parents
**[[Admiral]] John Sydney McCain, Jr. (from [[Indiana]])
**[[Roberta McCain|Roberta Wright McCain]] (from [[Oklahoma]]).

== Books ==
* ''Faith of My Fathers'' (Random House; 1999) ISBN 0-3755-0191-6
* ''Odysseus in America'' (Scribner; 2002) ISBN 0-7432-1156-1
* ''Worth Fighting For: A Memoir'' (Diane Publ. Co; 2002) ISBN 0-7567-6759-8
* ''Medal of Honor'' (Artisan; 2003) ISBN 1-5796-5240-9
* ''Why Courage Matters: The Way to a Braver Life'' (Random House; 2004) ISBN 1-4000-6030-3
* ''Character Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember'' (Random House; 2005) ISBN 1-4000-6412-0
* ''Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them'' (Twelve; 2007) ISBN 0-4466-9911-X

==Further reading==
*McCain, John [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=513224&in_page_id=1811 ''My six years of hell: John McCain recalls life as a prisoner of war in Vietnam''] 8 February 2008 [[Daily Mail]]. Accessed 9 February 2008

==See Also==
* [[John McCain 2008 Presidential Campaign]]
* [[Previous Breaking News/John McCain|Articles about '''John McCain''' from previous "Breaking News"]]
* [[White House]]
*[[Cindy McCain]], spouse of [[John McCain]]
*[[Roberta McCain]], mother of [[John McCain]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQsckD9trn4&eurl=http://evangelicalsformccain.org/meetthesenator.htm ''John McCain: Courageous Service''] - Streaming video documentary hosted at YouTube, including footage of McCain's time as a POW and the Forrestal incident.
*[http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9542249 John McCain Biography]
*[http://evangelicalsformccain.org/index.htm Evangelicals for McCain] - Christians, Families and Patriots for John McCain
*[http://studentsformccain08.blogspot.com/ Students for McCain 2008]
*[http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/01/mccains-mom-pop.html McCain's Mom Pops Off]
*[http://www.rd.com/national-interest/people-and-politics/our-interview-with-sen-john-mccain/article.html Presidential Candidate John McCain on the Issues]
*[http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270 Voting record]

==References==
{{reflist|small}}

{{2008 presidential candidates}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McCain, John}}

[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Arizona Senators]]

Sarah Palin

2008-09-03T13:18:17Z

JohnI: McCain is by far the better choice for president. Don't try to deny it.

[[Image:Sarah Palin.jpg|right|thumb|Sarah Palin]] '''Sarah Louise Palin''' (pronounced pay'-lynn) (born February 11, 1964) is the [[conservative]] first-term Republican [[governor]] of [[Alaska]]. She is the youngest person to hold this honor as well as the first woman to do so in the state's history. Palin is Senator [[John McCain]]'s Vice Presidential running mate in the [[2008 Presidential Election]].<ref>[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/palins_vp_selection_speech.html Acceptance Speech by Palin]</ref>

She brings a populist image and a record of cutting wasteful spending and reforming government to McCain's ticket. In the summer of 2007 she was the most popular governor in America, after cutting 13% of [[Alaska]]'s budget.<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp</ref> She is strongly [[pro-life]].

Married for 20 years, Sarah Palin's husband is a member of the United Steelworkers union and her eldest son (of five children) is in the [[United States Army]], scheduled to go to Iraq. In an appearance on August 30, 2008 in Washington, Pennsylvania, she was greeted by a surprisingly large crowd as she promoted the new McCain-Palin ticket.

She earned her Journalism degree from the University of [[Idaho]] and worked in media and the utility industry before beginning her public service 14 years ago.

==Personal Background==
[[Image:Sarah Palin Todd Trig.jpg|thumb|right|In this April 23, 2008 file photo, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, and her husband, Todd Palin, hold their baby boy Trig in Anchorage, Alaska. 
''Photo courtesy of Newsmax.com'']]
Palin arrived in Alaska with her family in 1964, when her parents came to teach school in Skagway. She received a bachelor of science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho in 1987. Palin, who graduated from Wasilla High School in 1982, has lived in Skagway, Eagle River and Wasilla. She reports she entered beauty pageants to earn college money.

She is married to [[Todd Palin]], part Yupik [[Eskimo]], who is a lifelong Alaskan, works at a non-management union job in the oil industry and also as a commercial salmon fisherman. He is a four-time champion of the Iron Dog, the world's longest snowmobile race.

Sarah Palin is a Union member, a moose hunter and holds a membership in the [[NRA]].<ref>[http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/29/mccain-to-name-running-mate-on-friday/ McCain Names Alaska Gov. Palin as Running Mate] Fox News, August 29, 2008</ref> They have five children together: Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, and Trig.

Palin has been highly regarded among conservatives for acting on her [[pro-life]] beliefs in the case of her youngest son, Trig, who was diagnosed with [[Down syndrome]] in the fourth month of her pregnancy. After researching the condition, she and her husband agreed to continue to pregnancy:
: "[My husband Todd said,] we shouldn't be asking 'Why us?' We should be saying 'Well, why not us?' We've both been very vocal about being pro life. We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential. I'm looking at him right now, and I see perfection. Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?" [http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/05/gov-sarah-palin.html]

Trig was born on April 18, 2008, four months before his mother was announced as the vice-presidential candidate. Palin wrote:
:"This new person in your life can help everyone put things in perspective and bind us together, and get everyone focused on what really matters ... Those who love him will think less about self and focus less on what the world tells [us] is 'normal' or 'perfect.'"<ref name="people">[[People Magazine]]</ref>

:"It's a sign of the times to be able to do this," she said. "I can think of so many male candidates who watched a families grow while they were in office. There is no reason to believe a woman can't do it with a growing family. My baby will not be at all or in any sense neglected."<ref>Alaska governor balances newborn's needs, official duties [http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-05-10-4082128881_x.htm]</ref>

Palin's older son Track, serves in the U.S. Army, and may be deployed to [[Iraq War|Iraq]] this autumn. Palin says, "I'm proud of him but I worry."<ref name="people">[[People Magazine]]</ref>

In September of 2008, Palin announced that her daughter Bristol was five months pregnant. Palin stated "We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents."<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080901/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_daughter Palin says 17-year-old daughter is pregnant]</ref>.

==Political Career==
Palin was elected to two terms on the Wasilla City Council, and then two terms as the Mayor / Manager of Alaska's fastest growing community (Population: 5400 in 2000)<ref>[http://wasilla.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm Wasilla Population and Demographics]</ref>. During her time as mayor, Palin hired a Washington lobbying firm to help secure $8 million in congressionally directed spending projects, otherwise known as earmarks.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-31-palin-bridge_N.htm Palin backed 'bridge to nowhere' in 2006]</ref> Ms. Palin's leadership qualities were recognized when she was elected as President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. In 2002, she ran for Lieutenant Governor, but came in second in a four-way race. Later that year, when [[Frank Murkowski]] resigned his [[Senate]] seat to become [[governor]], she interviewed for the opening. Instead, Murkowski appointed his daughter to the seat. From there, she went on to run for governor and won, becoming the first female governor of Alaska and its youngest.

In 2003, then-Governor Mukowski appointed Palin to serve as Panel Ethics Commisioner of Alaska's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates Alaska's [[non-renewable energy|non-renewable]] resources: [[oil]] and [[gasoline|gas]]. She resigned in 2004 as a protest over the "lack of ethics" of fellow panelists who had ignored her complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.

To help cultivate influence and political clout in the state, Palin served from 2003 - June, 2005 as one of three directors of the "Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.", a 527 group that raised funds from corporate donors.<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/01/palin_was_a_director_of_embatt.html#more Palin Was a Director of Embattled Sen. Ted Stevens's 527 Group]</ref> The stated purpose of the group is, "To increase the number of Republican women in elected offices and in appointed governmental and political positions, including advisory and regulatory commissions through training and education."<ref>[http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/527/ted_stevens_excellence_in_public_service_inc.asp Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Inc.]</ref>

She ran for Governor in 2006 on a clean government platform, and accomplished a political rarity in defeating the incumbent Governor [[Frank Murkowski]] in his own Republican primary. Palin went on to defeat former Governor [[Tony Knowles]] in the general election.

She has also served on the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. She was named one of Alaska's "Top 40 Under 40", Alaska's Public Works "Person of the Year", and was recently inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society at Alaska Pacific University.

Palin has served on numerous boards and commissions throughout the State, and stays active as a marathon runner, sports team mom, hockey manager and school volunteer. A lifetime member of the [[NRA]], she enjoys hunting, fishing, and Alaska history. <ref>http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.php Alaska Governor Sarah Palin</ref>

In 2007, Palin's 18-year old son, Track, enlisted in the [[Army]]. <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6920410,00.html</ref>

<blockquote>
''I am pro-life and I believe that marriage should only be between and man and a woman. I am opposed to any expansion of gambling in Alaska.'' <ref> Source: Campaign website, www.palinforgovernor.com, "Issues" Nov 7, 2006 </ref>
</blockquote>

==Record as Governor==
===Energy and Oil===

A strong supporter of [[oil]] and natural [[gas]] resources, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) in March 2007, which would be the the new legal vehicle for building a natural gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.<ref>http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/29/palin-alaska-gasline-inducement-act-nears-completi/</ref> It received bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Palin in June. In August of 2008 she signed legislation giving state authority to award TransCanada Corp a license to build and operate a multibillion-dollar pipeline to ship natural gas from the North Slope.<ref>http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=2e84b1e8-9a4a-4558-ad05-21b517c50fae</ref> As Governor, Palin created a new subcabinet that will develop policies to reduce greenhouse gases and help the state adapt to [[climate change]]. She supports oil production in ANWR, connecting it with national security.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GE11URmmnc</ref>

In 2007, over the objections of oil companies, Palin worked with the Alaska state legislature to approve a major increase in taxes on the oil industry. <ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008103325_alaskatax07.html Windfall tax lets Alaska rake in billions from Big Oil]</ref> The state then gave Alaskans a $1200 check to pay for increased gas prices, using the increased revenues from the tax.<ref>[http://hotair.com/archives/2008/08/11/palin-backed-alaskan-windfall-profits-tax/ Palin backed Alaskan windfalls-profit tax]</ref>

===State Economy===
At first, Palin supported the Gravina Island Bridge Project, otherwise known as the "Bridge to Nowhere". In September 2006, during a stop in Ketchikan as part of her gubernatorial campaign, Palin stated, "OK, you've got Valley trash standing here in the middle of nowhere," Palin said, according to an account in the Ketchikan Daily News. "I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project."<ref>[http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere']</ref> The $398 million bridge would have connected Ketchikan, on one island in southeastern Alaska, to its airport on another nearby island. The Anchorage Daily News also quoted her in a October, 2006 article as saying yes, she would continue state funding for the bridge because she wanted swift action on infrastructure projects. "The window is now while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist," she said.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080831/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_bridge_to_nowhere;_ylt=Am.NkRx1mLWk9A34FLhn8IADW7oF Critics: Palin used 'Bridge to Nowhere' for gain]</ref> Palin announced her opposition to the project in a 2007 press release.

She has stated her opposition arose because of the excessive amount of pork-barrel spending in the project, and that she would not fund the $329 million that was short for the budget.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/22/alaska.bridge.ap/</ref> This reversal cost her the support of prominent Alaskan Republicans like Former state House Speaker Gail Phillips, who said, "You don't tell a group of Alaskans you support something and then go to someplace else and say you oppose it". Palin instead said that the best option would be to upgrade the ferry system. However, the money that was retained from the earmark was not used for the ferry system, but was spent building a road on Gravina Island that links to the site of the canceled bridge.<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN3125537020080901 Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans</ref>

Prominent Alaskan politicians criticize Palin for not "giving back" money earmarked for the project. These critic include her Republican campaign coordinator in Ketchikan, who stated that "She said 'thanks but no thanks,' but they kept the money".<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN3125537020080901 Palin "bridge to nowhere" line angers many Alaskans</ref> However, state governments do not "give back" money in the manner proposed.

===Foreign Policy===
Palin is Commander in Chief of the Alaska Army [[National Guard]]. In 2007 she visited troops in [[Germany]] and [[Kuwait]].

===Legislature Investigation===
In August of 2008, the [[Alaska]] state legislature began an investigation of Palin and her staff for potential abuse of power in regards to a firing of Commissioner of Public Safety Walter Monegan. Monegan was dismissed from his position in July of 2008, which Palin's political opponents claim was due to Monegan's refusal to fire trooper Mike Wooten, Palin's former brother-in-law. However, "Walt Monegan when interviewed said that he was never told specifically by Sarah Palin to fire the state trooper Mike Wooten ...." Moreover, "Mike Wooten has had a history of breaking several laws and police department policies since December 2001 according to reports. One report was about Mike Wooten using a taser on his stepson, Sarah Palin's nephew Payton."<ref>http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212168861.shtml</ref>

Palin denies the charges. As is customary, the State of Alaska has hired a lawyer to represent her office in the investigation, and State's attorney released this statement:<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cvn_palin_troopergate Palin hires attorney for Troopergate investigation]</ref>

:The governor of every state gets legal counsel and this attorney is part of a weeks-old effort to provide this governor defense in a series of outlandish politically motivated charges. This legal defense is neither new nor uncommon nor at all political. It is a matter of her job and is not recent and it is not related to her selection on the McCain-Palin ticket.

===Polar Bears===
The state of Alaska will sue to challenge the recent listing of [[polar bears]] as a threatened species, Gov. Sarah Palin announced May 21, 2008. She and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state's northern and northwestern coasts. Palin argued that there is not enough evidence to support a listing. Polar bears are well-managed and their population has dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation, she said.

==Vice Presidential Candidate==
On August 29, 2008, Palin was announced to be the Vice Presidential nominee for Republican Senator John McCain <ref>http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/sarah_palin_vp/2008/08/29/126138.html</ref>. The selection was a surprise, as those in the media were expecting [[Minnesota]] Governor [[Tim Pawlenty]] or former [[Massachusetts]]'s Governor [[Mitt Romney]]. Palin adds youth and executive experience to the ticket. She is the second female Vice Presidential candidate of a major party in U.S. history and the first one on a Republican ticket. The first was [[Geraldine Ferraro]], who the Democratic Party put on the ticket under [[Walter Mondale]] in 1984.

==Beliefs==
Palin filled out a policy questionnaire for the Eagle Forum Alaska during her 2006 gubernatorial race. One question asked, "Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?" Palin responded, "Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support." Yet [[public schools]] still resist teaching abstinence and instead promote sexual behavior by teenagers.

Another question asked, "Are you offended by the phrase 'Under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?" Palin replied, "Not on your life. '''If it was good enough for the founding fathers''', it's good enough for me and I'll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance."

Liberals ignorant of the history of "under God" have tried to ridicule Palin's remark, even calling her an "idiot" for it.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2008/sep/01/week</ref><ref>The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892, and George Washington's phrase "under God" was added to it in April 1951.</ref> In fact, the phrase "under God" was taken from [[George Washington]]'s biography, written by Parson Weems, although not taken from George Washington directly. George Washington was indeed a [[Founding Father]].<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/264xqezm.asp?pg=2</ref> Moreover, all the Founding Fathers embraced reference to God in the documents that established the [[United States]].

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
[[Image:Sarah Palin 2.jpg|right]]
*[http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ State of Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin Official Website]
*[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=864bb9006da3f010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD National Governor's Association - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin]
*[http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=27200 Project Vote Smart - Governor Sarah H. Palin]
*[http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm Sarah Palin On the issues]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palin, Sarah}}

[[Category:Alaska Governors]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:United States Mayors]]
[[Category:Women]]

Sarah Palin

2008-09-03T13:11:19Z

JohnI: Someone remove this liberal from this wiki!

Europe

2008-09-03T13:09:15Z

JohnI: Undid liberal revisions by Therebuplican

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
|align="center" colspan="2"|[[Image:Europe pol 2004.jpg|300px]]
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: maroon no-repeat scroll top left;"|Europe
|-
|-
| Area
| 4,066,281 square miles
|-
| Coastline
| 50,000 square miles
|-
| Highest point
| Mt. Elbrus, 18,481 feet
|-
| Lowest point
| Shoreline of Caspian Sea, 92 feet below sea level
|-
| Longest river
| Volga, 2,330 miles
|-
|}
'''Europe''' is the western part of the [[continent]]al landmass of Eurasia, consisting of the general area between the [[Ural Mountains]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. With an area of 3,998,000 square miles it ranks as the second-smallest of the continents, but in terms of population (727,000,000 in 2007) it is the third-largest.

Long a center of culture, art, philosophy, and government, Europe was the birthplace of democracy; the art and architecture of the Renaissance; the springboard of the great age of exploration; and the beginnings of the industrial age. Several major empires inhabited the continent: Greece, Rome, Byzantium, the Ottomans, the Holy Roman, the French, the German, and the British each producing great achievements for posterity, as well as sparking wars and conflicts which exist to this day.

==Land==
Europe is considered to begin at the Ural Mountains, a chain running north-south in present-day Russia. The Caucasus, another mountain chain between the Black and Caspian Seas, forms the southern land boundary. Its remaining boundaries are coastlines; the Arctic Ocean, the North and Norwegian Seas, the Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea. The northernmost point on the mainland is Cape Nordkinn, Norway; the southernmost in Spain at Punta de Tarifa.

===Climate===
Cool winters and mild summers are typical of the climate in northern Europe, the result of the warm currents brought by the Atlantic Ocean as well as prevailing westerly winds. The climate of southern Europe is Mediterranean, usually hot in summer, with most rainfall taking place in winter. A colder climate begins in central Poland eastward, typified by drier conditions and, especially in Russia, severely-cold winters.

===Drainage===
The major rivers in western Europe originate in the mountain ranges of central Europe. The Rhine, Rhone, Elbe, Seine and Vistula flow from the Alps and the Balkans northward, emptying into the English Channel, North and Baltic seas; the Po and Rubicon rivers flow into the Mediterranean Sea, while the [[Danube]] flows into the Black Sea. Long a navigable river, the [[Danube]] is further connected via locks and canals to the Rhine, ensuring a centuries-long free flow of commerce from both sides of Europe into the interior. In eastern Europe the major rivers flow towards the south, emptying in the Black and Caspian seas; among them are the Dnepr, Donets, and Volga. With the exception of the Mediterranean rivers, all European rivers have an even rate of flow as a result of an even spread of yearly precipitation; the faster-flowing rivers, particularly in the mountain highlands and Scandinavia, also aid in the production of hydroelectric power for home and industry.

===Flora===
Forests covered a large part of Europe as late as the 19th century, but human activities have cleared a many areas for farming. Still, a large amount of forested land remains, as well as those acres that have been re-planted or re-grown after human abandonment.

A mixed coniferous-deciduous belt dominates a vegetation zone across the central portion of the continent from east to west, characterized by oak, elm and maple mingled with fir and pine. Spruce and pine dominate inland northern Europe as a result of cool, but mild temperatures. Tundra is characteristic of the Arctic land regions, consisting of shrubs, wild flowers, lichens and mosses. To the east is the European Plain, an expanse of prairie grass which gives way to the Ukrainian steppe and its short grasses of a drier climate.

===Fauna===
The lakes and rivers support an abundance of fish, including trout and salmon, while the coastal areas and inland seas support tuna, sardines, sturgeon, cod, haddock, halibut, and many others. Birds are widespread as well, including eagles, storks, ravens, and seabirds.

Although there are many mammal species on the continent (deer, lemmings, beaver, etc), they have been hard hit as a result of man's long occupation in Europe. The once common brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is now restricted to isolated pockets of the Pyrenees and the far north of Scandinavia. The wisent (''Bison bonasus''), the largest mammal on the continent, has been over-hunted so extensively that only a few managed herds survive in central Poland, while a relative, the larger aurochs (''Bos primigenius'') was killed off by 1627.

===Mineral [[resources]]===
[[Image:Europe ref04.jpg|thumb|300 px|Shaded relief map of Europe]]
Coal is found extensively in Britain, Spain, France, the Ruhr of Germany, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the Ukraine. Oil and natural gas deposits lie throughout Europe, with the two most important regions within Russia and the North Sea. Nickel, tin, bauxite, copper, lead, gypsum, manganese, lead, and iron ore have been mined extensively and traded. Marble, such as that from Carrera, Italy, is used in monumental architecture and statuary.

===Arable land===
Countries in Europe with the largest percentage of arable land include the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, and the Netherlands, all of which have large areas of plains despite also having a large amount of highlands (in addition, the Netherlands has much land re-claimed from the sea). In addition, nearly half of western Europe has arable land. Norway, Sweden, Finland, and northern Russia have limited amounts of arable land by comparison, due to a restricted growing season at high latitudes as well as extreme cold.

==People==
It is conjectured that the first humans migrated into Europe in several waves, either from Asia Minor across the Bosporus and into the Balkan region, or from Asia by way of the steppes. River barriers, mountains, and forested lands help to divide early Europeans into distinct groups, and by about 4000 B.C. humans were well-established.

===Ethnic groups===
A large number of diverse ethnic groups live on the continent, associated by common culture and language. Several of the European nations are composed of one predominant ethnic group, i.e. Greeks in Greece, Spanish in Spain. Several of these countries have a distinctive minority, such as the Laplanders of northern Norway and Finland.

===Languages===
The vast majority of the languages spoken on the European continent come from the [[Indo-European]] language family. Within this category, the three largest European branches are the [[Romance]] (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian); [[Germanic]] (German, English, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic); and [[Slavic]] (Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovenian, Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian). Other languages include Celtic (Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Breton), Baltic (Latvian, Lithuanian), Greek and Albanian, as well as languages within the Finno-Ugric group (Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian). Turkish is spoken in the European portion of Turkey.

Several of the European languages were spread world-wide over the past five hundred years as a result of trade, colonization, or political/military power; as a result, French, English, Spanish, and German are second languages for many people.

===Religion===
The dominant religion in Europe is Christianity, with the Roman Catholic Church the largest single sect, forming a major part of the lives of people in France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland. The Protestants are several churches which originally broke away from the Catholic Church beginning in the 16th century, the first being the Lutheran Church. Members of Protestant denominations form the majority in Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom. The third major Christian group is Eastern Orthodoxy, mainly in eastern Europe, of which the Greek and Russian sects are well known.

Europe is now the least Christian and the most secularized and socialized part of the world.<ref>[http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/05/02/europe-the-dark-continent/ Europe: The Dark Continent]</ref>

In addition to Turkey, Islam has established itself as the dominant religion in the Balkan countries of Albania and Kosovo.

===Culture and Education===
The arts has a long period of tradition in Europe, which produced many outstanding works in painting, sculpture, architecture, dance, music, and literature; among the great masters are Leonardo Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Raphael, Vincent Van Gogh, Mozart, Brahms, Alexander Dumas, Charles Dickens, and many others. Paris, Vienna, London, Rome, Madrid, Florence, and other European capitals became havens where art flourished and expanded. Institutions of learning also grew, with several, such as Oxford and Cambridge, becoming well-known world-wide.

===Demography===
Migration and differential birth and death rates have resulted in a shifting in population distribution over periods of time. By 400 A.D. the bulk of the population was along the Mediterranean coastline; today the interior and north-central Europe has the majority of population density. The average life expectancy for Europeans is 75 years, despite a population decrease attributed to a low birth rate of 10.2 births per 1,000 people (2005).

==Economy and Commerce==
===Industry===
The Industrial Revolution began in Europe during the late 18th century, and since then Europe has become a leading exporter of manufactured goods. Textiles and clothing, ships, motor vehicles, aircraft, railroads, are among the items produced, and since World War II high-technology and electronic items were added. Manufacturing is particularly concentrated in the United Kingdom, central Europe, and in European Russia and Ukraine.

===Agriculture===
European farmers produce a mixed variety of crops yearly, with wheat producing the largest yield, especially within the Ukraine. Other crops include barley, oats, rye, corn, potatoes, beets, beans, peas, and sugar beets. Southern Europe is noted for the production of grapes for the wine industry, olives, pistachio nuts, and citrus fruits; the first two (grapes and olives) have become important to the identity as well as the economy of the countries which produce them. Animal production includes beef (especially in Spain), pigs, goats, and poultry.

===Forestry===
The main sources of wood for construction and other products come from the northern European forests of Scandinavia, Finland, and Russia; southern Europe, with less forested acreage, is known primarily as a producer of cork.

===Fishing===
Fishing is very important to northern European countries; access to the cold waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans enable a large harvest of cod, char, herring and flatfish yearly. All coastal countries engage in commercial fishing to some degree, and two, Italy and Greece, have fishing traditions which date to ancient times.

===Transportation===
The first means of transportation were by water; the Vikings have traded extensively via the waterways and river systems of northern Europe, while in the south the Danube and Mediterranean was used. Today, large fleets of ships are maintained by several countries which import and export a great deal of goods, and have transformed many coastal cities into major sea ports.

Highways and roads are well-established and maintained; Germany's famous Autobahns providing the example, and in addition to trade via trucks a large number of Europeans own automobiles. Railways carrying passengers and freight crisscross the continent; France's TGV is among the fastest trains in the world, and the "Orient Express", made famous by an Agatha Christie novel, still makes its fabled run from Paris to Istanbul.

All European countries have a national airline (KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways, etc) that maintain routes world-wide. In addition, the Airbus Corporation competes with Boeing in the manufacture of large-bodied passenger aircraft.

===Trade===
International and intercontinental trade on a large scale is conducted by nearly all European countries, with the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom among the largest trading nations in the world.

==History==
====Early humans====
It was during the late Paleolithic that humans arrived on the continent, and although of a hunter-gatherer stock they left behind examples of their art, most notably the cave paintings in Spain and France with their highly-decorated murals of extinct animals. As these hunters settled down by the Neolithic period, they had learned to farm, and by roughly 6000 B.C. farming had spread across most of the continent. With farming came a more settled life, and towns were created, with the Starčevo and Danubian cultures in the Balkans, and Sesklo and Dimini in Thessaly. Trade in metals (copper, tin) resulted in the creation of bronze by about 4000 B.C.; amber marked its appearence as a precious stone in trade from the Baltic. Elaborate burials were becoming common, especially of aristocrats or royalty; during this time as well humans were organized into societies that resulted in the construction of the megaliths, of which [[Stonehenge]] is the best known example.

No clear definition exists for the origin of the Indo-European languages. Some scholars theorize that it came across the plains north of the Black Sea with a kurgan culture around 2500 B.C. According to the theory, the first such kurgan invasion was successful in the Balkans, where it spread to central Europe.

====First Civilizations====
The island of Crete in the Aegean was the first to have a major civilization in Europe. Named after King Minos of Greek mythology, the Minoan Civilization had its capital at Knossos; the ruins excavated in the early 20th century by British archaeologist Arthur Evans indicate a well-developed society, capable of extensive trade by sea, which effectively controlled the Aegean by 1600 B.C. By then the first tellings of the Mycenaean Civilization appeared on mainland Greece. These ancient Greeks may have been Indo-Europeans from the Balkans, and have been in conflict with the Minoans, who simply vanish from the historical record by 1400 B.C. (this may be due to the eruption of Thera, a volcano to the north of Crete, about 1450 B.C.; physical evidence on Crete indicates a massive, catastrophic explosion). By 1200 B.C. the Mycenaeans themselves were almost destroyed, by warfare and earthquakes. In the years following, the Greeks began to fashion new tools and weapons from iron.

== External links ==

*[http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/europe.htm Europe]

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Continents]]

Sarah Palin

2008-09-03T13:01:29Z

JohnI: Undo revision 509930 by TheRepublican (Talk)

Multiplication

2008-09-03T12:55:29Z

JohnI: =)

In its most elementary form '''multiplication''' is repeated [[addition]] of [[whole numbers]] or [[integers]].
:For example, <big><math>3\times 2 = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6</math></big>

The result of a multiplication is the ''[[product]]''. The numbers which are multiplied together are called ''[[factor]]s''.

Multiplication is a [[commutative]] operation in that A <big><math>\times</math></big> B = B <big><math>\times</math></big> A.
:For example <big><math>3\times 2 = 2\times 3</math></big>.
Multiplication and addition are the only two mathmatical functions that yield the same result, regardless of placement of numbers.

==See also==
*[[Multiplication Property of Equality]]
*[[Arithmetic]]

[[Category:Algebra]]

Talk:American History Lecture One

2008-09-03T02:45:06Z

JohnI: /* What about vikings? */ new section

This lecture was improved, and now the changes have been removed. Why?

I made some changes to the American History lecture. My changes were deleted. Why?

They're used for Christian homeschooling and I don't think that the changes made are consistent with their paradigm. [[User:MountainDew|MountainDew]] 19:02, 12 March 2007 (EDT)

Several edits removed credit from Christianity from the lecture. For example, edits removed this:

:The very first words of the [[Mayflower Compact]] were “In ye name of God Amen.” Just as our Nation’s founders started with a prayer, so do we. Prayer clears out the noise in our minds. We are looking for knowledge and inspiration here, and that comes from God. In most countries parents do not have the freedom even to have a class like this. The main reason we have freedoms is because Americans are more devoted to religion than in other countries.

Such edits are improper. I can't confirm the commenter above did those edits, but someone did (I don't know who the commenter above is, since he didn't sign his comment).--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 11:05, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

== Starving Time? ==

Since the "Starving Time" is by most historians considered to have lasted from about 1609-1610-11, how could John Smith, who left Virginia in 1609, have become a leader of the colony afterwards? --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 17:21, 17 March 2007 (EDT)

: There was an earlier "starving time," but the lecture has changed on this point anyway. Thanks.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 11:05, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

It has not been changed on this point. It still reads:

"From 1607-1611, the Jamestown settlement lived under socialism, whereby the group shared its food with everyone no matter how much or little he worked. This economic system was a complete failure as no one had any incentive to do any work. John Smith arrived from England and he installed a conservative economic system: “don’t work, don’t eat!” Magically, by 1614 there was suddenly plenty to eat."

Now, first of all, pretty much EVERY source I've examined uses the "Starving Time" to refer to the hard times of 1609-10 or 11. What earlier "starving time" do you have in mind, and what source refers to it as "The Starving Time?" Second, since Smith left for good in 1609, exactly how did he manage to change the Virginia settlement from a socialits to a free market economic system AFTER 1611 so that "magically, by 1614 there was suddenly enough to eat."
--[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 12:56, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

Virginia had a "Straving time" almost the entire first decade of settlement. In 1613, George Percy led an attack on some natives, and despite the fact the colonists were starving, burned their cornfields (See Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom)

The above does not address my point, which is how Captain John Smith could have overseen conversion to a "free market" Jamestown economy in or after 1611 when in fact he left in 1609?
--[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 19:55, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

Correct. Smith did help the colony survive its early years, but he did not make Jamestown an economic success. That did not occur until nearly a decade after he departed, with the development of tobacco as a cash crop.

Which is unfortunately NOT what it says here in this Lecture. --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 16:11, 27 March 2007 (EDT)

I know. I editied this lecture before (and I did return to correct many of the errors), but the powers that be at Conservapedia have "locked" the lecture, somehow thinking that improvement=vandalism.

--Columbus' Landfall?--

Columbus did not land on Christmas eve. His ships sighted land on October 11th, 1492, and landed the next day. (see Columbus, Journal of First Voyage, at http://www.americanjourneys.org/, pages 108-110)[user:dw1237200)

== Slavery in Massachusetts ==

"Massachusetts did not allow slavery."

That is absolutely untrue. The Puritans in Massachussetts kept slaves and dealt in slaves until the late 18th century. Tituba, one of the first people accused in the 1692 Salem Witch trials, was a slave. --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 13:30, 21 April 2007 (EDT)

: Support, please? By the way, I note how you slipped in "dealt in slaves." No one denied that there was a slave trade.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 13:58, 21 April 2007 (EDT)

::Actually, I was trying to be fair. While Massachusetts dealt in slaves, mostly in Indian slaves and slaves from the West Indies, they were soon overtaken in that trade by Rhode Island. I do find myself musing, however, about the presumed moral superiority of a colony that you claim "did not allow slavery" (In fact, it did for well over a century) not being averse to making a few bucks off it.

::On to the cites:

::From THE PILGRIM READER,George Willison, Doubleday and Company 1953

::"For years later, in 1641, the Bay formally recognized the institution of slavery in its CODE OF FUNDAMENTALS OR BODY OF LIBERTIES, anticipating Virginia by many years in legally instituting the "peculiar institution" being the first of the English colonies to do so.

::There were Indian and Negro slaves in the Plymouth colony as early as 1646, when the authorities threatened to sell Indians or exchange them for Negroes as punishment for offenses..In 1706, Cotton Mather noted in his diary, "Received a singular blessing in the gift of a likely slave, which was a smile of heaven on this family."...slaves continued to be sold in the Boston market as late as 1788, when the traffic was forbidden."

::In short, Massachussets not only allowed slavery -- they were the first colony to institute it. Your later claim about the "Virginia institution of slavery" "spreading to the colonies of Maryland, Carolina" etc., as if Virginia had been responsible for introducing that "peculiar institution" is misleading.

::From NARRATIVES OF THE WITCHCRAFT CASES (1648-1706), edited by George Lincoln Burr, Charles Scribner Sons, 1914 Note:

::Notes: "The Rev. Samuel Parris (1653-1720)..had lived for a time in Barbadoes whence he had brought back with him THE TWO SLAVES, John and Tituba...Sara Good, who with Sarah Osburn and Parris's SLAVE-WOMAN TITUBA..."(Emphasis added)

::"...where an Indian Man attended us, he shewed several Scars, that seemed as if they had been long there, and shewed them as done by Witchcraft, and acquainted us that his Wife WHO ALSO WAS A SLAVE (emphasis added) was imprisoned for Witchcraft..."--[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 15:00, 21 April 2007 (EDT)

::: OK, you're right, there were some slaves there. But the basic point is correct: Massachusetts disfavored slavery (neighboring Vermont was the first to ban it), while Virginia welcomed it. I've made the appropriate change. Thanks.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 15:14, 21 April 2007 (EDT)

::::Dealing in slaves, owning slaves, and being the first English colony to institutionalize it does not indicate a strong "disfavor" of the practice during the Puritan era.

::::How in the world could you do research on the subject of slavery in the US and be unaware that it was introduced to the English Colonies in Massachusetts? How could you study the Puritans and be unaware that they kept slaves? Did you never hear of the Salem Witch Trials and Tituba? --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 15:26, 21 April 2007 (EDT)

::: PF Fox, Massachusetts was the source of the abolitionist movement. While you have shown there were a few slaves there, and I have corrected the lecture, the anti-slavery sentiment was stronger in Massachusetts than any other colony.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:43, 21 April 2007 (EDT)

::::Actually, it was Quakers -- a group the Puritans loathed and abused -- who founded the first abolitionist organization in the US, and that was in Philadelphia. Boston was certainly later a focal point for the abolitionist movement, but it's not accurate to call Massachusetts the "source," and I'd very much like to see some backup for the claim that "the anti-slavery sentiment was stronger in Massachusetts than any other colony." Credit for that should probably go to Pennsylvannia. --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 11:54, 22 April 2007 (EDT)

:::::Not directly apropos, but when the Quaker preacher Elias Hicks (from Long Island, New York) was dying, mostly paralyzed, in 1830, "'a quilted cotton coverlet was inadvertently placed upon his bed. As the weather was severely cold, his children... used their constant endeavors to keep this coverlet upon him. But they perceived by his actions that this coverlet annoyed him, because with his hand, which was not paralyzed, he continually attempted to removed it, as something exceedingly offensive. It was at least suggested by a friend present, that the reason why he removed it, was on account of its being the product of slavery.' When... a wool blanket was substituted, Elias Hicks, feeling the wool with his fingers, nodded his pleasure." Bliss Forbush: ''Elias Hicks, Quaker Liberal,'' 1956, Columbia University Press, p. 288. The Quakers abandoned slavery among themselves by a very long, slow, relatively quiet process of personal conversion. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 12:43, 22 April 2007 (EDT)

:::: Thanks Dpbsmith, and PF Fox, for your information. I don't have an axe to grind here. But everything I've read suggests that the source and power of the abolitionist movement was Massachusetts. [[John Quincy Adams]]. [[Charles Sumner]]. Even [[Oliver Wendell Holmes]] in his youth. It think abolutionist newspapers were printed there also. I don't any of that coming out of Philadelphia, but I'm happy to consider more evidence.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 21:07, 22 April 2007 (EDT)

::::::And what you've read has not mentioned the role of Quakers in the abolition movement? The Pennsylvannia Abolition Society? (http://www.hsp.org/default.aspx?id=792) --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 11:12, 23 April 2007 (EDT)

== Roger Williams? ==

How does Roger Williams being dead when the constitution was written nullify his influence? Are you saying once someone is dead, their writings and philosophies can have NO influence on anyone? --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 16:28, 27 April 2007 (EDT)

By the way, here's a cite to explain how it is Williams' concept of separation of church and state influenced our constitution -- long after Williams was dead.

"In 1787 twelve states accepted the constitution; one did not. The one hold-out was the smallest and weakest of them all, Rhode Island; and the issue was religious liberty.

The Rhode Island delegation pled, "That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, and not by force or violence, and therefore all men have an equal, natural, and unalienable right to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience, and that no particular religious sect or society ought to be favored, or established by law in preference to others."

For three years the national union remained incomplete and without a constitution. Then Thomas Jefferson spoke to the delegates in support of Rhode Island: "By the Constitution you have made, you have protected the government from the people, but what have you done to protect the people from the government?"

http://www.biblebay.org/article.php?id=71. --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 16:44, 27 April 2007 (EDT)

: Thanks for your comments, but Rhode Island refused to ratify the Constitution for economic reasons, not religious ones. Rhode Island had control of imports and wanted to continue to tax them.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 16:49, 27 April 2007 (EDT)

::That does not alter the fact that Rhode Island's approach to religious liberty -- an approach owed primarily to Roger Williams -- was adopted by Jefferson in the drafting of the constitution. Again, is it your contention that once someone has died, they can exert NO influence? --[[User:PF Fox|PF Fox]] 16:52, 27 April 2007 (EDT)

==Fun?==
Is that a guarantee? Also, how much does the class cost? If you cannot disclose here, just email me. [[User:NathanG|Nate]] 12:32, 8 June 2008 (EDT)

: Sure, it will be fun. Learning is much more effective when it is enjoyable.

: The in-person class is a total cost of $250 per student, including all the expenses, materials, books, copying, everything. That is cheaper than the taxpayer-funded community college, and I may not even make a minimum wage on the class. Also, in contrast with public schools, I provide a discount for each sibling to give the large families a break. Participation here, of course, is free.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 12:40, 8 June 2008 (EDT)

::Uhh, *hopes someone will hire him soon so he can pay for this class*. [[User:NathanG|Nate]] 13:39, 8 June 2008 (EDT)

Also, for the assignment, how many grammatical edits would I have to do to equivocate to those 10 edits? [[User:NathanG|Nate]] 18:28, 8 June 2008 (EDT)

: I've unlocked the content page. What do you think is fair - perhaps 3 grammatical improvements equal one substantive edit?--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 18:36, 8 June 2008 (EDT)
::Sure! Hmm... and what if someone adds to an article for this assignment, but his grammar isn't perfect. If I fix the grammar, does that count? [[User:NathanG|Nate]] 11:38, 9 June 2008 (EDT)

==What's going on here?==
Is this meant to be an actual lecture, or some sort of trailer for the real lectures? Currently it reads like a failed high school essay. [[User:Daphnea|Daphnea]] 14:48, 23 June 2008 (EDT)

==Leif Ericson==

Leif Ericson reaching Vinland is a "liberal myth"? It seems more like a proven historical fact to me. There's even a national historic site at L'anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland where his settlement was. There has been extensive archaeological research there, and no credible historian denies it.
[[User:CogitoErgoSum|CogitoErgoSum]] 12:13, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

Like CogitoErgoSum, I'm frankly staggered at this assertion. Why is it such a big deal to the author of these lectures that the first Europeans to invade America should be Christian? What next? The Romans were already Christians when they invaded Britain??? Really, this is the kind of flat-earthery that makes outsiders love to laugh at Conservapedia. [[User:Googly|Googly]] 18:53, 3 August 2008 (EDT)

Given that the history professor quoted was talking only about the likelihood of Viking settlements or presence in the area of New England, and the article accepts the authenticity of the find of the short-lived Viking settlement at L'anse aux Meadows, shouldn't the reference be changed from the farshores website to, "Mr. Schlafly said so."?--[[User:Frey|Frey]] 15:34, 4 August 2008 (EDT)

I think Mr Schafly should be very wary about reverting contributions which make this lecture state (correctly) that the Vikings colonised Newfoundland, for which there's a great deal of historical and archaeological evidence. He has used a quote from a professor who has not published primary research in Viking studies (according to his CV on the UNH website: <ref>http://www.unh.edu/history/media/History_faculty_cvs/bolstercv1107.pdf</ref>), stating that there's no evidence that Vikings settled in New England, to support his - Mr Schafly's - personal opinion that Vikings didn't settle in ''Newfoundland''. I don't see how anyone with aspirations to objectivity can contribute to CP if the conclusions from decades of research are to be cast aside simply because Mr Schafly doesn't like them and is prepared to cherry-pick, distort and misuse scholarly articles to support his personal views.

I'm now going to correct the Newfoundland references in this and related articles again and if Mr Schafly or his friends revert them or block my edit access to CP again on account of them, I think that would be pretty much definite proof that this isn't a website for conservative opinion in general but one which has no respect for scholarship and simply exists to promote Mr Schafly's personal opinions, however far they depart from reality. In which case, why would anyone trust anything else Mr Schafly says? Why, for example, should evolutionary biologists pay any attention at all to him if he himself is prepared to misuse scholarly conclusions so blatantly?

I'm still utterly baffled why it matters so much to Mr Schafly that the Vikings didn't colonise North America. Why is this a 'liberal point of view'? Any clues????? [[User:Googly|Googly]] 16:49, 5 August 2008 (EDT)
==Native Americans==

It seems like there needs to be some more material devoted to the presence of the native Americans at the beginning of this narrative, because in the current draft it's almost an afterthought. Where did they come from? When and How did they get to the Americas, and have enough time to build cultures that spanned both continents? Where did the natives go as the colonies expand into areas long-settled by the native Americans - were they assimilated, displaced, or both? These are significant points that should be included, since a course on American History can't ignore the original Americans. The Europeans profoundly changed North American history, but they were explorers, immigrants and conquerors of settled lands, not the discoverers of barren ones. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 10:10, 4 August 2008 (EDT)

: Good point that the lecture should have more about the Indians, but the discussion has to be factual. I'm realizing that liberal distortions exploit speculation concerning unproven origins, but I only teach demonstrable facts.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 10:22, 4 August 2008 (EDT)

==Columbus' Landing Site==

It's incorrect to state that Columbius landed on Haiti, which is a national entity that did not exist at the time. It would be better to state that he landed on the island of Hispaniola, in the section that is now the republic of Haiti. Also, the way the section about Columbus' first voyage reads, it skips over the initial landing in San Salvador and goes right to La Natividad - why? -[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 14:28, 14 August 2008 (EDT)

== Triangular Trade ==

The third part of the trade, which was usually from England down to Africa, often carried cloth, guns, ammunition, and other trinkets (as well as some metals). The items were used to purchase slaves from traders, as well as from African kings and merchants. Hence the necessity for that third leg to bring payment from England down to Africa for the slaves. Info on the triangular trade can be found [http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/abolition/slavetrade.asp here]. --[[User:Jareddr|Jareddr]] 19:01, 24 August 2008 (EDT)

: There were small costs to purchase the slaves, but big ships weren't needed to carry trinkets. Also, there's no evidence that ships actually went as described. It's a myth.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:11, 24 August 2008 (EDT)

:: So you assume that trade ships went straight from England to America and back, and from America to Africa and back? --[[User:Jareddr|Jareddr]] 19:23, 24 August 2008 (EDT)

:::Yeah couldn't imagine why slave owners in Africa would would want finished European goods, also I'm sure the West Coastal kings wouldn't want the kind of furniture you found in European estate homes. [[User:Visitor|Visitor]] 19:29, 24 August 2008 (EDT)

Actually, the England/African part was the ''first'' leg. It was an Englishman ([[John Hawkins]]) who borrowed the idea from the Portuguese. And whichever leg it is, if the 'triangular" or "circuit" trade is a myth, I have been reading the wrong textbooks and encyclopedias for the last 50 years. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 20:38, 24 August 2008 (EDT)

:You clearly have. You can read all about it [[triangular trade|here]] without any citations. [[User:Visitor|Visitor]] 21:02, 24 August 2008 (EDT)

== What about vikings? ==

Reading over this lecture, I couldn't find any information on them. They were a successful settlement in the Americas, landing in Greenland and Icelans, which is recognized as part of North America. [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 22:45, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

Essay:Rules of Chivalry for Students

2008-09-03T02:06:22Z

JohnI: I think it is better for them to avoid profanity wherever.

Teenagers (and adults) would benefit from a bit more [[chivalry]] in their behavior. For students, here are some suggested guidelines:

== Boys ==

#When you see a girl carrying something heavy, offer to carry it for her.
#Stand up when a girl or woman enters the room.
#Talk in a respectful manner in front of a girl and avoid [[profanity]] in general.
#Be appreciative when girls bake cookies for the entire class.
#Compliment girls.
#Open doors for the girls and help them to sit down.

== Girls ==

#Put your superior social skills to good use by welcoming others.
#Do not attempt to embarrass a boy, as in trying to beat him in arm-wrestling or bragging that you did better on a test.
#Avoid excessive [[gossip]].
#Dress modestly, not provocatively or suggestively.
#Avoid profanity.

[[Category:Essays]]

Talk:Essay:Rules of Chivalry for Students

2008-09-03T01:55:21Z

JohnI: /* Sports */

At first I thought this might be parody, then I saw who created it... now I think perhaps it's not that bad a page after all. [[User:NewCrusader|NewCrusader]] 20:22, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:Why would you think it was parody? [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 20:23, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::Because it's typical of liberals to accuse conservatives of being outdated, or of supporting gender inequality. If it looks like us as seen by them, it may be written by them. But I know Aschlafly is no parodist, so I can trust this. [[User:NewCrusader|NewCrusader]] 20:56, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:This is no parody. My class of 56 teenagers, boys and girls, starts Thursday. Unlike my prior classes, this one is going to develop a bit of [[chivalry]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 20:26, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::Aschlafly, might I ask where you teach? I more than somewhat like the articles I see here. I did not know as much about Barack Obama untill I read that article on him,and am rather impressed by the depth of multiple other articles. [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 20:31, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

::: I teach in [[New Jersey]]. I don't use any school. Thanks for your comments, if sincere, and regardless Godspeed to you.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 20:34, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

::::As a thought, it would be interesting to ask the students in your pending class to contribute a few entries themselves. I'm sure most of us are not teen-age students, so it would be interesting to get their direct perspective on what they'd consider "chivalrous". --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 21:23, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

==Sports==
What does attending boys' sporting events have to do with chivalry? [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 20:35, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

:It is supportive of your classmates.[[User:ErstBlenchPoet|ErstBlenchPoet]] 20:37, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::I just don't see that as fitting in. Lets get more opinions. [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 20:38, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

:::Because they are more easily injured, girls should not play most sports (except the explicitly feminine ones such as gymnastics or dance). Therefore it is appropriate for them to cheer on the sidelines and provide support.[[User:ErstBlenchPoet|ErstBlenchPoet]] 20:40, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:::::Ah, I see. Welcome back, ErstBlenchPoet. [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 20:46, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::::I do somewhat object to that, I have seen quite a couple women and girls playing sports, including what you would consider not to be "explictily feminine ones", and while I have seen some of them get injured, the amount seemed about even to the men. I believe that both genders can cheer at athletic events, as below. [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 20:45, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::::I agree that attending sports events is supportive however I dont think it specifically applies to girls as such. More the whole class should get out and cheer each other on. [[User:ClarkeD|ClarkeD]] 20:42, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:::::I removed it per consensus. [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 20:46, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::::::How about a "both" section? It would be a good place for listing things like being supportive of classmates' endeavors. I also think the "no cursing" should be #1. [[User:Human|Human]] 21:06, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:::::::I agree with that idea. Another one I think should be in "both" would be proper dress. [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 21:55, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

==hat doffing==
(unindent) Would removing one's hat in the presence of a lady be considered anachronistic? While a hat is no longer a major part of adult attire, many teenagers wear baseball caps and the like. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 20:47, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:I was brought up to not wear hats inside period. [[User:ClarkeD|ClarkeD]] 20:49, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

I can't believe my entry was removed. I am from Belgium and here most girls curtsey, and all are taught to! I can't believe that it is considered anachronistic in America! I hope the other Europeans here agree with me. --[[User:HPoirot|HPoirot]] 20:52, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:I never saw that in Brussles. But then again, my eyes were only for chocolate. ;-) Seriously, your teens curtsey for someone other than royalty?--[[User:MHayes|MHayes]] 21:09, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::And how often did you see men bow? Good manners are fading, but I guarantee you that every girl learns to curtsey here. --[[User:HPoirot|HPoirot]] 21:18, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

::: I don't know. Seems far-fetched, HPoirot. It hasn't been seen in the U.S. for many decades.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 21:31, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::::You are the teacher and I do not want you to teach wrong manners. Still, I can only feel sad that the U.S. have gone so far. All the world admires and takes example from the U.S., but also imports most of your uses and manners, including some which are questionable. Good luck for your class though, teaching chivalry to students is an admirable task. --[[User:HPoirot|HPoirot]] 21:39, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

==Complementing people==
why should complementing people be reserved as something boys do for girls. *everyone* especially young teens trying to find their path in this world, can benefit from sharp, insightful (not empty) complements. "I really like your ideas on that last question". "Your writing style is impressive". and "I find that you have wonderful taste in literature, would you recommend something to me". "golly sally you are sure' perty" seems like something from the 1950's tv reality. We can have our well educated kids do far better than that! I try to find one really genuine thing to say about a person I work with each day. And when I can, I try to make it about them, not just what they are wearing, or things they cant change like how pretty they look.--[[User:MHayes|MHayes]] 21:07, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

:Nicely said. A sincere compliment on what someone does (which we can change with every choice we make) goes a long way to building a good self-image. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 21:20, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

:: Chivalry emphasizes complimenting females. They appreciate it more than males do. In fact, a male can find a compliment to be patronizing or insincere.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 21:24, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

:::I'd think a female would find an insincere or patronizing "compliment" just as offensive. You're right about chivalry being oriented about the manners of men in their treatment of women, though. It just seems a shame to pass on an opportunity to teach both genders in a 21st century class about courtesy, manners and respect without it depending so much on which gender one belongs to. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 21:31, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

::::(edit conflict) That is just wrong, Andy. A complement is important to all people. Especially people who are strong, who are intelligent, and who want to be important community leaders. Boys take and give complements every day and are better for it. perhaps you mean to say "flattery" where it isn't a complement about something someone does well, but just empty rhetoric about how pretty they are. Are you truly sitting here saying that you, a man, do not complement your students, and if you do, they boys only think it is hollow or patronizing? Teachers teach by pointing out the best in each thing they say, and then trying to help make other aspects as good. Teachers teach by saying "you have really improved in your essay writing (and it does not matter if its Jane or John), but you still need to work on your math skills". Teachers teach by giving grades that do not just have letters, but well explained reasons for why they were given that grade which *necessarily* provides things they student does well, not just things he or she does poorly. --[[User:MHayes|MHayes]] 21:33, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

==Dresses==

I believe it should be mentioned that wearing a dress is preferable for a girl seeing how it is more traditional and it establishes set gender roles. Pants were originally designed to be worn exclusively by men and were worn exclusively until the Feminist movement in the 60's. -- [[User:Jose83|Jose83]]

Girls

1. Put your superior social skills to good use by welcoming others.
2. Do not attempt to embarrass a boy, as in trying to beat him in arm-wrestling or bragging that you did better on a test.
3. Avoid excessive gossip.
4. Dress modestly, not provocatively or suggestively. A dress is preferable.
5. Avoid profanity.

-- [[User:Jose83|Jose83]]
:Didn't you learn anything since your last parody block? [[User:HenryS|HenryS]] 21:28, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

::That was parody, but given that there are essays like [[Essay:Women wearing pants]] written b sysops it's not that far a stretch. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 21:37, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

Essay:Rules of Chivalry for Students

2008-09-03T00:55:22Z

JohnI: I think this applies heavily for both genders.

Teenagers (and adults) would benefit from a bit more [[chivalry]] in their behavior. For students, here are some suggested guidelines:

== Boys ==

#When you see a girl carrying something heavy, offer to carry it for her.
#Stand up when a girl or woman enters the room.
#Do not use profanity in front of a girl.
#Be appreciative when girls bake cookies for the entire class.
#Compliment girls.
#Open doors for the girls and help them to sit down.
#Do not curse.
== Girls ==

#Put your superior social skills to good use by welcoming others.
#Do not attempt to embarrass a boy, as in trying to beat him in arm-wrestling or bragging that you did better on a test.
#Avoid excessive [[gossip]].
#Dress modestly, not provocatively or suggestively.
#See #7 above.

[[Category:Essays]]

Tradewinds

2008-09-03T00:53:06Z

JohnI: I don't think its a good article, but it's what I know off the top of my head.

Tradewinds are winds that move constantly in a specific direction that, back in the time of wind-based movement, aided in trade. Due to the consistancy of these winds, trade route often sprung up, hence the term, "tradewinds"

Liberal bias

2008-09-03T00:46:44Z

JohnI: Correcting my spelling mistake.

'''Liberal bias''' is partisan support for [[liberal]] positions or policies. This bias pervades encyclopedias, periodicals and [[broadcast media]], and the Internet. It is expressed by reporters and other journalists in mainstream media and by teachers in [[public school]] and in many private schools.{{fact}} It includes techniques such as [[placement bias]], [[photo bias]] and [[liberal style]]. There is a difference between being liberal, having a liberal perspective, and having a liberal bias.


Such a bias could manifest itself as one or more of the following:
*political correctness
*a tendency to exaggerate and deceive to attract attention 
*a reliance on obscenity to attract attention 
*an attempt to be consistent by treating men and women alike
*an obsession with race where images are used
*An unwillingness to admit they are wrong. See [[evolution]]
 

==The  Media Confronts Liberal Bias==
[[Ann Coulter]] wrote:
*To obscure the overwhelming liberal dominance of the media, the few designated media "[[conservatives]]" are cited tirelessly in testimonies to the [[ideological]] diversity in the nation's [[newsroom]]s. Democrats in the media are [[editors]], national [[correspondent]]s, [[news anchor]]s, and [[reporter]]s. Republicans in the media are "from the right" [[polemic]]ists grudgingly tolerated within the liberal behemoth. Republican views must be accompanied by a conspicuous warning: "[[Partisan]] Conservative Opinion Coming!" [[Neutral]] news slots are reserved for Democrats exclusively. "Balance" is created by having a liberal host a debate between a liberal and a moderate Republican. <ref>''[[Slander (book)|]]'', P. 60</ref>

Although many prominent liberal journalists and teachers deny being biased - or indeed that liberal bias exists at all in the media - same have freely admitted it (e.g., [[Andy Rooney]]).{{fact}}

[[New York Times]] publisher [[Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr.]] has denied the the New York Times has a [[liberal]] viewpoint and has stated the New York Times has an "urban" viewpoint.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/25/weekinreview/25bott.html?ei=5088&en=452926dcb11511a3&ex=1248667200&pagewanted=all&position=</ref> However, in the summer of 2004, the newspaper's then public editor (ombudsman), Daniel Okrent, published a piece on the Times' liberal bias and cited the example of their coverage of [[Homosexuality and Marriage|homosexual marriage]].<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/facts/2007/facts2007914.asp</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/25/weekinreview/25bott.html?ei=5088&en=452926dcb11511a3&ex=1248667200&pagewanted=all&position=</ref> In regards to the [[Western World]], although the New York Times has a particularly heavy bias when it comes to the [[homosexuality]] issue, the New York Times is not unusual in regards to the media having a liberal bias when it comes to the subject of homosexuality; see [[Homosexuality in the Media]]. [[John Stossel]] is an author, consumer reporter, and a co-anchor for the [[ABC News]] show [[20/20]]. [[Cybercast News Service]] states the following regarding regarding the influence of the New York Times and [[Washington Post]]:
{{cquote|While the newspapers reach only a fraction of people compared to the television networks, he said radio and television producers rely heavily on their contents.

"The reason the Times, and to a lesser extent the Post, are so important, and they are, is because the TV and radio - all of the media - copy it sycophantically," he [John Stossel] said. "That's how bias at the Times becomes bias in other media."<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200401/CUL20040128a.html</ref>}}

[[Image:Liberal Bias.png|none|500px]]
'''The following persons, organizations, television programs or media outlets have well known liberal bias:'''

* ''[[The New York Times]]'' <ref>Reporters and editors today are overwhelmingly liberal politically, as studies of the attitudes of key members of the press have repeatedly shown. Should you doubt these findings, recall the statement of Daniel Okrent, then the public editor at the New York Times. Under the headline, "Is the New York times a Liberal Newspaper?," Mr. Okrent's first sentence was, "Of course it is." [http://www.opinionjournal.com/federation/feature/?id=110009203] </ref>
* [[ABC]], [[CBS]] <ref>Townhall.com, [http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MarvinOlasky/2001/12/04/enabling_media_bias Enabling media bias], Marvin Olasky, December 4, 2001.</ref>
* [[Dan Rather]] <ref>During a phone conversation, [[Bernard Goldberg]] asked him, "What do you consider the ''New York Times''? Rather answered, "Middle of the road." (''[[Bias (book)|Bias]]'', page 221)</ref>
* [[CNN]]
* [[NBC]] News
* [[LA Times]]
* [[Michael Moore]]
* [[The Daily Show]]
* [[Real Time]] with [[Bill Maher]]
* The [[United Nations]]
* [[Washington Post]]
* [[MSNBC]]
* [[BBC]]
* [[NPR]]
* [[Associated Press]]
* [[National Academy of Sciences]]

==U.S. Universities==

Liberal bias is rampant in American university campuses. Leftist [[professor values|professors]] dominate the universities.{{fact}} "Because of this slant, it is virtually impossible for political balance in our universities and, as a result, the curriculum, the culture, the values, the atmosphere and the underlying currents of thought resemble indoctrination." <ref>[http://www.thefire.org/pdfs/4134_2453.pdf?PHPSESSID=14d1b6b722914bc403636c401f9792ee Universities' liberal bias is real], Fred Singer, [[Denver Post]], January 29, 2003</ref>

"College faculties are not only mostly liberal, but lean even further to the left than conservatives have imagined."
<ref>[http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/1809 Liberal bias in colleges bleeds into classroom], Cal Thomas, [[Townhall]], March 31, 2005</ref>

"The political tilt on campuses is decidedly to the left. If you're looking for balance, you're not going to find it."
<ref>[http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3514.html Liberal Bias on Campus], John Eberhard, [[Intellectual Conservative]], June 18, 2004</ref>

Even the students admit the liberal bias. "Here at Columbia, as at most top universities, we enjoy belittling conservative beliefs."
<ref>[http://www.columbiaspectator.com/?q=node/27969 Liberal Bias is A-OK], J.D. Porter, Columbia Spectator, November 9, 2007</ref>

==Media==

===Associated Press===

AP has a consistent anti-police bias, for example, referring to "the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day". Their article is designed to create sympathy for a person who talked and acted like he had a [[gun]] and then resisted arrest. The AP account reads more like an [[editorial]] than a straight [[news story]]. It is not until 400 words into the story that you read the judge's reason for acquitting the accused cops. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080425/ap_on_re_us/police_shooting]

AP does a biased piece on GOP VP nominee [[Sarah Palin]]. First paragraph includes ''"the latest in a string of disclosures that left the McCain campaign defending the thoroughness of its background check "''. There isn't a string of disclosures. Everything about her was public with the exception of the pregnant teen daughter. Second paragraph, ''"her husband, Todd, had been arrested for drunken driving two decades ago"'', pathetic tabloid smear. ''"little experience"'', liberal media always ready to drive that message home with Palin, but rigorously defend [[Obama]]'s lack of experience as the real heartbeat-away from the [[Presidency]]. ''"In a brief respite from partisanship, Democratic rival Barack Obama weighed in"'' The [[AP]] should have just wrote- ''Obama, staying high above political mudslinging because he is just that good.''. ''"the pregnancy of Palin's daughter, Bristol, was aimed at rebutting Internet rumors that Palin's own youngest son, born in April, was actually the daughter's."'' AP giving credibility to Obama supporters' [[Daily Kos]]'s gross slander, actually like it so much, repeat twice in the article. "The national convention... already had been relegated to a distant second to the hurricane on TV." AP thinks Americans can care less about the GOP. ''"McCain's team dispatched a dozen operatives and lawyers to Alaska, fueling speculation that a comprehensive examination of Palin's past was incomplete..."'' Rumors masquerading as worthy news with an actual GOP rebuttal cited "Palin underwent a ``full and complete'' review." <ref>[http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/news/story.jsp?floc=DC-top&idq=/ff/story/0001/20080901/2353662008.htm&maxphotos=6&phototerm='bristol+palin'&maxstories=4&storyterm='sarah+palin' Palin says daughter, 17, is 5 months pregnant] AP, September 1, 2008</ref>

===CBS News===
[[Image:Bio-pic.jpg|right|thumb|180px|[[Bernard Goldberg]]]]
CBS insider [[Bernard Goldberg]] wrote the definitive book on liberal bias in the media, simply entitled ''[[Bias (book)|Bias]]''.
*He asserts that an ''"inability to see liberal views as liberal views ... is at the heart of the entire problem."''
*He wrote: "[[Pauline Kael]], for years the brilliant film critic at the ''New Yorker'', was completely baffled about how [[Richard Nixon]] could have beaten [[George McGovern]] in 1972: 'Nobody I know voted for Nixon.' Never mind that Nixon carried 49 states. She wasn't kidding." <ref>(''Bias (book)'', page 222-223)</ref>

Goldberg also suggested liberals don't even see their liberal values as "liberal":
*"Their views on all the big social issues ... aren't liberal views at all. They're simply reasonable views, shared by all the reasonable people the media elites mingle with ..." <ref>(''Bias (book)'', page 222)</ref>

During the [[Vietnam War]], the [[Soviet Union]] was the principal ally of [[Communist ]] North Vietnam, providing weapons and training in what was a major conflict of the [[Cold War]] that took 58,000 American lives.{{fact}} ''CBS Evening News with [[Walter Cronkite]]'' regularly carried news reports from its [[Moscow]] Bureau Chief, [[Bernard Redmont]]. When peace negotiations commenced with North Vietnam in Paris, Redmont became ''CBS News'' [[Paris]] Bureau Chief. What Redmont never reported during the ten year conflict was, Redmont had been a [[KGB]] operative since the 1930s, and member of the notorious [[Silvermaster group]]. <ref>[http://hnn.us/articles/11581.html KGB file 43173 vol. 2 (v) pp. 46-55], Alexander Vassiliev, Notes on A. Gorsky’s Report to Savchenko S.R., 23 December 1949. Original document from KGB Archives [http://www.johnearlhaynes.org/page46.html].</ref> Redmont was the only journalist to whom his fellow [[Comintern]] party member, and North Vietnamese chief negotiator, Mai Van Bo, granted an interview to bring the Communist point of view into American living rooms in what has been called, "the living room war.{{fact}}"

===New York Times===
[[Image:Arthursulzbergerjr.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|[[New York Times]] publisher [[Arthur Sulzberger Jr.]]]]
Peter D. Feaver of the ''[[Boston Globe]]'' noted on the sixth anniversary of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks]] that [[MoveOn.org]] ran a full-page advertisement in the ''[[New York Times]]'' accusing General [[David Petraeus]] of activities befitting a traitor. The advertisement alleges, without [[evidence]], that Petraeus would not give an honest, professional assessment of [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]]. Feaver noted, "The MoveOn.org ad is vicious ... a deliberate attack on the senior Army commander, in a major daily newspaper, with the intention of destroying as much of his [[credibility]] as possible...part of an elaborate effort to undermine public support for the [[Iraq war]], and was foreshadowed by an unnamed [[Democratic]] senator who told a reporter, "No one wants to call [Petraeus] a liar on national TV . . . The expectation is that the outside groups will do this for us." The effort is funded by powerful [[special interest]]s, and has all the trappings of a major political campaign.<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/09/11/moveons_mccarthy_moment/ MoveOn's McCarthy moment], By Peter D. Feaver, ''Boston Globe'', September 11, 2007.</ref> Within a day it was discovered the ''New York Times'' gave MoveOn.org a “hefty discount” for its ad questioning Petraeus’ integrity. According to the director of public relations for the ''New York Times'', “the open rate for an ad of that size and type is $181,692.” A spokesman for MoveOn.org confirmed that the [[liberal activist group]] paid only $65,000 for the ad - a reduction of more than $116,000 from the stated rate.<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/09132007/news/nationalnews/times_gives_lefties_a_hefty_di.htm Time Gives Lefties a Hefty Discount for "Betray us" Ad], Charles Hurt, ''New York Post'', September 13, 2007.</ref>
In July, 2008, the [[New York Times]] rejected an opinion piece written by [[John McCain]], which was responding to earlier piece written by [[Barack Obama]].<ref>http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/07/21/mccain-campaign-says-new-york-times-blocked-op-ed-response-to-obama/</ref> This came after the [[New York Times]] had previously published at least seven op-ed pieces by [[McCain]] since 1996, and endorsed him in the 2008 Republican Presidential primaries. The reason the [[New York Times]] cited for the July 2008 rejection was that they were asking the McCain campaign to provide a more substantive piece which would contrast his positions with the details of the Obama piece on a point-by-point basis.<ref>http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/the-times-and-the-mccain-op-ed/</ref>

===LA Times===

The mainstream media including the LA Times had been guilty of being silent regarding the [[John Edwards]] affair that the National Enquirer had broke in October 2007. The Enquirer followed up with a publication in December of 2007. Then in July 2008, the Enquirer had confronted Edwards at the Beverly Hilton hotel after he spent the entire day with his mistress. After Edwards admitted the affair on Friday August 8th, the mainsteam media finally reported the [[scandal]], including the [[LA Times]]. In an article titled "Mainstream media finally pounce on Edwards' affair", the LA Times declared that they had been pursuing the story prior to Friday. <ref>[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-na-edwardsmedia9-2008aug09,0,7463269.story Mainstream media finally pounce on Edwards' affair] LA Times, August 9, 2008</ref> But they gave no excuse for hiding this from the American public. They have showed their true liberal bias by not reporting the story earlier. Then making an attempt to further fool the public by saying they were pursuing the story, when in fact 10 months had lapsed. Plus, nowhere in the article does it mention the Edwards is a Democrat. To the credit of the LA Times, they do mention that Democratic party strategists say Edwards needs to address the story, at the very bottom of the article. Protection of fellow [[liberal]] [[Democrats]] by the LA Times is more important than being a honest news organization.

=== Media Bias===

A 2005 report<ref>[http://www.polisci.ucla.edu/faculty/groseclose/Media.Bias.pdf A MEASURE OF MEDIA BIAS] </ref> by Tim Groseclose and Jeffrey Milyo political scientists at UCLA concluded that, based on estimated ideological scores, all of the news
outlets they examined, except Fox News’ Special Report and the Washington Times, showed a strong liberal bias (scores to the left of the average member of Congress). Of the 20 major media outlets studied, 18 scored left of center, with CBS' "Evening News," The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times ranking second, third and fourth most liberal behind the news pages of The Wall Street Journal. Only Fox News' "Special Report With Brit Hume" and The Washington Times scored right of the average U.S. voter.
<blockquote>
"I suspected that many media outlets would tilt to the left because surveys have shown that reporters tend to vote more Democrat than Republican," said Tim Groseclose, a UCLA political scientist and the study's lead author. "But I was surprised at just how pronounced the distinctions are." <ref>http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=6664</ref>
</blockquote>

===Name That Party===

The liberal media refuses to identify the political party in their stories when a Democrat is involved in a scandal. Most times it is buried deep within the article so as to remain anonymous to the audience. <ref>[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2008/08/03/name-party-dem-ma-state-senator-charged-sexual-assaults Name That Party: Dem MA State Senator Charged in Sexual Assaults] NewsBusters.org, August 3, 2008</ref> The [[Associated Press]] is the most guilty of this practice but it is in fact modus operandi by all liberal media sources. Compare that with Republican scandals which the liberal media will always includes the party name in its' headlines or within the first sentance or first paragraph.

===Vision of the anointed===
[[Image:Thomassowell.jpg‎|thumbnail|150px|right|[[Thomas Sowell]]]]
Economist [[Thomas Sowell]] in his book published in 1996, ''The Vision of the Anointed'', discusses the anointed vision of liberals and liberalism to promote their agenda, and control the writing of history and the national consciousness.

Desperate evasions of discordant evidence, and the denigration and even demonizing of those presenting such evidence, are indicative of the high stakes in contemporary [[culture war]]s, which are not about alternative policies but [[Values clarification|alternative worlds]] and of alternative roles of liberals in these worlds. Opponents must be shown to be not merely mistaken but [[moral]]ly lacking. This approach replaces the intellectual discussion of arguments by the moral extermination of persons. This denigration or [[demonizing]] of those opposed to their views not only has the desired effect of discrediting the opposition but also has the unintended effect of cutting off the path of retreat from positions which become progressively less tenable with the passage of time and the accumulation of discordant evidence. The very thought that those dismissed as simplistic or maligned might have been right–even if only on a single issue–is at best galling and potentially devastating. Their last refuge in this situation are their good intentions.

For liberals, it is desperately important to win because their whole sense of themselves is at stake. Given the high stakes, it is not hard to understand the all-out attacks of liberals on those who differ from them and their attempts to stifle alternative sources of values and beliefs, with [[Hate speech|campus speech codes]] and ‘[[political correctness]]’ being prime examples of a spreading pattern of [[taboo]]s. Here they are not content to squelch contemporary voices, they must also silence history and traditions–the national memory–as well. This too is a larger danger than the dangers flowing from particular policies.

History is the memory of a nation–and that memory is being erased by historians enthralled by liberalism. Open disdain for mere facts has been accompanied by adventurous reinterpretations known as ‘revisionist’ history. This is all yet another expression of the notion that [[Moral relativism|reality is optional]].

A very similar development in the law treats the Constitution as meaning not what those who wrote it meant, but what one small segment of the public today wants it to mean. This is the ‘[[living constitution]]’ of ‘evolving standards,’ reflecting what ‘thinking people’ believe. The law itself has been prostituted to the service of [[ideological]] crusades. The social cohesion that makes civilized life possible has been loosened by the systematic undermining of families and of commonly shared values and a common culture. <ref>Thomas Sowell, [http://www.li.suu.edu/library/circulation/Lewis/ba2350tlVisionoftheAnointedShortVersion.pdf ''The Vision of the Anointed''], New York: Basic Books, 1996.</ref>

{{Examples of liberal bias}}

==External links==

*[http://www.mediaresearch.org/biasbasics/biasbasics2admissions.asp Media Bias Basics] - Admissions of Liberal Bias

==See Also==
*[[Previous Breaking News/Liberal bias|Examples of liberal bias from previous "Breaking News" articles]]
*[[More News/Liberal Bias|Articles about '''Liberal Bias''' from "More News"]]
*[[Homosexuality and the Media]]
*[[Conservative bias]]
*[[Conservative Links]]

{{liberalism}}
[[category:politics]]
[[Category: Deceit]]
[[Category: Liberals]]

Talk:Essay:Rules of Chivalry for Students

2008-09-03T00:45:22Z

JohnI:

Talk:Essay:Rules of Chivalry for Students

2008-09-03T00:31:20Z

JohnI:

Talk:Species

2008-09-02T23:17:09Z

JohnI:

"A German Shepherd and a Beagle can mate, because they are different breeds within one species. " - There is no such thing a dog, because it's still a wolf? :) [[User:NewCrusader|NewCrusader]] 15:53, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:Dogs were created by God, as were wolves. The relation between them is only because God willed it so. [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 16:00, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::Tigers and lions are different species, but they can breed. Ability to reproduce does not define species. -[[User:DrSandstone|DrSandstone]] 16:08, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::They can, indeed, produce offspring, but such offspring are unable to produce more because they become infertile, same goes with donkeys and horses. [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 16:11, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
:::That is, actually, untrue. -[[User:DrSandstone|DrSandstone]] 16:27, 2 September 2008 (EDT)
::::It is, actually, true. A female horse and a male donkey yields a mule. [[User:JohnI|JohnI]] 19:17, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

Talk:Species

2008-09-02T20:11:03Z

JohnI:

United States Presidential Election, 2008

2008-09-02T20:04:40Z

JohnI: /* Democratic National Convention */ Placed in past tense.

[[Image:Presidential election map.gif|right|thumb|350px|Battleground states]] {{move|United States presidential election, 2008}}

The '''2008 United States Presidential Election''' is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref> The primary season for both the [[Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party]] officially began on January 3, 2008 with the [[Iowa Caucus]]es and ended on June 3, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref> The 2008 election cycle has seen a major shift to the primary election calendar, frontloading many primaries into early February.<ref>http://www.miamiherald.com/515/story/43160.html</ref> [[Barack Obama|Senator Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]] is the [[Democratic Party]] nominee, with Senator [[Joe Biden]] of [[Delaware]] being his Vice Presidential running mate. They are the first Democratic Presidential ticket in a 100 years with no executive experience or military experience. Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]] is expected to win the Republican nomination. His Vice Presidential nominee is [[Alaska]] Governor [[Sarah Palin]].
==First election without incumbents since 1928==
If eligible to do so, the President of the United States often runs for reelection. If the President does not run, the [[Vice President of the United States]] will often run to replace the President after he leaves office. 2008 will mark the first time since the 1928 election in which there is neither an incumbent President nor an incumbent Vice President running for his party's presidential nomination and thus not running in the Presidential election. In the [[United States presidential election of 1952]], the race was between Republican candidate [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Democratic candidate [[Adlai Stevenson]]. Vice President [[Alben Barkley]] sought but failed to win the Democratic nomination. Current Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] has repeatedly stated he will not run for President. "I will say just as hard as I possibly know how to say... If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve," Cheney said on ''[[Fox News]] Sunday''.

==Differences between 2008 and other elections==
In 2008, [[CNN]]-[[YouTube]] held the first debate in which the questions asked of the nominees in each party came primarily from YouTube viewer submitted videos. The debates received high ratings, however, CNN was criticized for not picking questions that were 'tough' or pertinent enough. One such example was during the Democratic Debate, when CNN chose to ask a question from a snow man, talking about [[global warming]]. During the Republican debate, some claimed that many of the questions were from Democratic supporters just meant to embarrass the Republican candidates. For example, a question over whether or not homosexuals should serve in the U.S. military was asked by retired general and gay activist Keith Kerr, an adviser to [[Hillary Clinton]]'s campaign.

The internet has also played a major role in the election, with then-Republican presidential candidate [[Ron Paul]] and Democratic candidate Barack Obama being very active on the internet.

== Uncommitted Electorate ==

As of July 30th, 2008 14% of respondents are undecided, almost twice as high as the 8% at a similar time period in 2004.<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/in_white_house_race_twice_as_many_voters_uncommitted_compared_to_four_years_ago Uncommitted numbers]</ref>

==Opinion polling==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Polling Outfit
! Date
! Sample*
! Obama (D)
! McCain (R)
|-
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/daily_presidential_tracking_poll Rasmussen Tracking]
| 08/30 - 09/01
| 3000 LV
| '''48'''
| 43
|-
|-
|[http://www.gallup.com/poll/109960/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Hits-50-First-Time.aspx Gallup Tracking]
| 08/30 - 09/01
| 2733 RV
| '''50'''
| 42
|-
|-
| [http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/Aug08bPostDemConv.pdf CBS News]
| 08/29 - 08/31
| 781 RV
| '''48'''
| 40
|-
|-
|[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-01-poll-monday_N.htm USA Today/Gallup]
| 08/30 - 08/31
| 1835 RV
| '''50'''
| 43
|-
|-
|[http://www.nationaljournal.com/hotline/wakeupcall.php Diageo/Hotline]
| 08/29 - 08/31
| RV
| '''48'''
| 39
|-
|}

*RV refers to registered voters, LV refers to likely voters.

Most polling that has been done fails to include all the candidates who will actually be on the ballot in November. A Rasmussen poll on May 18, reported on a four-way race between Barack Obama, John McCain, Ralph Nader and Bob Barr. The poll, which was conducted before Barr became the Libertarian nominee and made a number of high-profile talk show appearances, found that Barr would finish in third place with 6% of the vote, and Nader with 4%.<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/will_third_party_candidates_tip_the_presidential_race</ref> Another poll conducted around that time showed Barr picking up 8% of the vote in [[Georgia]], seriously hurting McCain's chances of winning that state.<ref>http://www.southernpoliticalreport.com/storylink_520_404.aspx</ref> It should be noted that in the actual elections, third party candidates such as Barr and Nader generally have much lower percentage of votes cast for them than they poll beforehand. Also, when possible, polling is reported without counting 'leaners'. Leaners so far have been favoring McCain.

Due to the nature of the presidential election, relying on state-by-state electoral votes as opposed to the nationwide popular vote, nationwide polls may be less predictive of the election results. An alternative approach is to take aggregate results of state-by-state polling in order to create an electoral map. So far most polling sites doing this have found the election favoring Obama, much as the general polling has shown, although generally dependent on how leaning states vote come election day.<ref>http://www.pollster.com/</ref><ref>[http://www.politico.com/convention/swingstate.html Politico's 2008 Swing State Map]</ref>

== McCain vs. Obama ==
[[Image:Casmier.jpg|left|thumb|180px|'''John McCain (R)''']][[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|left|'''Barack Obama (D)''']]
McCain had the early edge, wrapping up the Republican nomination before Obama was known to be the choice of the Democrats, but this was one of the few advantages he has had. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama raised far more money than McCain and the Democratic primary saw a surge of new voters coming out leading to a large increase in the rolls of Democrats. From the historical position of a generally equal number of Republicans and Democrats, the numbers have now tilted 41% Democrat to only 32% Republican. From the time that Obama was declared the nominee, opinion polling showed him with a modest advantage over McCain in terms of who the voters would choose to be their next President.

Obama's strategy was to tie McCain to George Bush, a very unpopular President, even though McCain was not a part of the Bush administration and often clashed with Bush during his time as senator. McCain, for his part, had to walk a fine line with accepting praise from the President to woo conservatives, while at the same time keeping enough distance so as to not alienate moderates. When possible, McCain went after Obama's lack of foreign policy experience.

On paper, the nomination would seem to heavily favor the Democrats. Overall, Democrat candidates have a +10% advantage over Republicans in a 'generic' election. The current unpopular President is a Republican, and the economy is treading water. Also, based on statistical percentages of articles on each candidate, Obama was being focused on with press coverage far more than McCain. When McCain chastised Obama for his lack of foreign policy experience and that he hadn't been to Iraq or Afghanistan in years, Obama's campaign set up for him to take a trip to both countries. While this is expected in politics, the decision of every major network to send a team of reporters to follow him was unprecedented. Obama spoke to 200,000 people in Berlin in a highly covered speech. McCain spoke to 50,000 in Buffalo shortly thereafter and barely got a whisper. Obama's numbers started to rise, but a good deal of the populace was noticing the disparity as 48% of those polled felt the press was trying to help Obama win.

Obama seemed pleased to coast on his advantages, but McCain realized he needed to shake things up. He scored by pushing offshore drilling for oil during a time when oil prices were climbing almost daily. Obama rejected the idea, but the poll numbers started to show a greater percentage of Americans warming to the concept<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/61_say_congress_should_vote_on_offshore_drilling_right_now Offshore Drilling poll]</ref> and McCain's numbers started to improve. Obama announced he would accept some measure of offshore drilling, and McCain's momentum was haltered and his gains retreated by a couple of points. McCain started an ad campaign that acknowledged Obama's celebrity status, but asking what it meant. A few days later at the start of August he called out Obama for 'playing the race card' when Obama made a reference to McCain and Bush trying to scare people because he (Obama) doesn't look like other Presidents on dollar bills. The Democrats fired back, but quickly let the issue drop when poll numbers showed that most voters did consider Obama's statement to be racist.<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/only_22_say_mccain_ad_racist_but_over_half_53_see_obama_dollar_bill_comment_that_way</ref>. The bounce for Obama after the Berlin speech shrank back to pre-trip levels. While Obama continued to enjoy a slight lead in the polls, McCain continued to keep the race close without either candidate breaking away.

In mid-August both candidates came together at the invitation of Pastor [[Rick Warren]] where each was asked a series of the same questions dealing both with political and personal views. While not a debate, it was the first televised forum where both candidates had a chance to express themselves and their positions. Obama hoped to appeal to Christian conservatives by expressing a religious side while McCain hoped to solidify the conservative base by sharing his own conservative and religious credentials. The difference in style between the two was evident as Obama spent more time explaining and expounding on his positions while McCain was more straight-forward and received more laughs with his candid speaking style. The polling numbers continued as they had been.

There was a bounce at the start of the Democratic convention, but not what was expected as McCain suddenly drew even in the race. The friction between Hillary Clinton and Obama as well as the perceived slight of Hillary when Biden was chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate hurt Obama at a time when his approval was expected to climb. McCain then made a mistake by airing an ad of Hillary Clinton that 'supported' him. Clinton was set to speak at the convention and it was no secret that there was bad blood between her and Obama and it was widely believed that her support for Obama would be lukewarm at best. Instead, apparently galvanized by McCain's hubris before her speech, she came out strongly for Obama and rallied those who supported her. Obama's pre-convention edge returned.

== State by State Breakdown ==
The United States had become so regionally polarized that even though the 2004 presidential election was close nationwide, only nine states had outcomes having less than 4% margin between the candidates:

State, margin of victory, party that won the state in 2004

#Wisconsin, 0.38% (Dem)
#Iowa, 0.67% (Repub)
#New Mexico, 0.79% (Repub)
#New Hampshire, 1.37% (Dem)
#Ohio, 2.11% (Repub)
#Pennsylvania, 2.50% (Dem)
#Nevada, 2.59% (Repub)
#Michigan, 3.42% (Dem)
#Minnesota, 3.48% (Dem)

It is assumed that the 2008 election will be similar where close battles in a few states could determine the outcome. Individual state polling numbers for the 2008 election so far:

* Red = McCain leading
* Blue = Obama leading

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! State
! Obama (D)
! McCain (R)
! Source
! Updated
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Alabama
|37%
|55%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/alabama/election_2008_alabama_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Alaska
|40%
|44%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/alaska/election_2008_alaska_presidential_election Rasmussen]
| 7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Arkansas
|37%
|47%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/arkansas/election_2008_arkansas_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/17/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Arizona
|40%
|52%
|[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_Arizona_804.pdf PPP]
|7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|California
|51%
|37%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/california/election_2008_california_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/20/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Colorado
|46%
|47%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Connecticut
|52%
|35%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/connecticut/election_2008_connecticut_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Delaware
|50%
|41%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/delaware.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Florida
|45%
|44%
|[http://www.wesh.com/news/17312592/detail.html Mason-Dixon]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Georgia
|43%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/georgia/election_2008_georgia_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/14/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Hawaii
|61%
|31%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/hawaii.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Idaho
|37%
|53%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/idaho.html DailyKos.com]
|7/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Illinois
|53%
|38%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/illinois/election_2008_illinois_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/14/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Indiana
|42%
|46%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/indiana/election_2008_indiana_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/19/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Iowa
|50%
|43%
|[http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2008/august/081908hawkeye_poll.html University of Iowa]
|8/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Kansas
|37%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/kansas/election_2008_kansas_presidential_election Rasmuseen]
|8/11/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Kentucky
|39%
|49%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/kentucky/election_2008_kentucky_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/29/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Louisiana
|34%
|54%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/maine/election_2008_maine_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/12/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Maine
|49%
|36%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/maine/election_2008_maine_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/12/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Maryland
|53%
|40%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/maryland.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Massachusetts
|51%
|36%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/massachusetts/election_2008_massachusetts_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/5/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Michigan
|46%
|39%
|[http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS15/308210001/1215 Detroit Free Press]
|8/21/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Minnesota
|48%
|38%
|[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/08/20/prezpoll/ MPR/Humphrey Institute]
|8/17/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Mississippi
|41%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/mississippi/election_2008_mississippi_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/28/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Missouri
|41%
|48%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/missouri/election_2008_missouri_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/7/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Montana
|44%
|45%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/montana/election_2008_montana_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/29/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Nebraska
|32%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/nevada/election_2008_nevada_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/11/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Nevada
|49%
|44%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Hampshire
|43%
|42%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/new_hampshire/election_2008_new_hampshire_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/19/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Jersey
|48%
|40%
|[http://beta.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/new_jersey/election_2008_new_jersey_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/04/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Mexico
|53%
|40%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New York
|52%
|32%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_carolina/election_2008_north_carolina_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|North Carolina
|42%
|45%
|[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_NC_826.pdf PPP]
|8/23/08
|- style="background:white; color:black"
|North Dakota
|43%
|43%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_dakota/election_2008_north_dakota_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/18/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Ohio
|44%
|43%
|[http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2882.xml?ReleaseID=1210/ohio/election_2008_ohio_presidential_election Quinnipiac]
|8/24/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Oklahoma
|38%
|52%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/oklahoma.html SurveyUSA]
|6/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Oregon
|47%
|37%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/oregon/election_2008_oregon_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/7/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Pennsylvania
|48%
|43%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Rhode Island
|55%
|31%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/rhode_island/election_2008_rhode_island_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/04/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|South Carolina
|39%
|48%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/south_carolina/election_2008_south_carolina_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/07/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|South Dakota
|40%
|44%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/south_dakota/election_2008_south_dakota_presidential_election2 Rasmussen]
|7/09/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Tennessee
|36%
|51%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/tennessee/election_2008_tennessee_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/24/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Texas
|41%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/texas/election_2008_texas_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Utah
|33%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/utah/election_2008_utah_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/22/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Vermont
|63%
|29%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/vermont.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Virginia
|47%
|45%
|[http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2008/08/virginia-president-and-senate.html PPP]
|8/22/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Washington
|48%
|37%
|[http://strategicvision.biz/political/wa_poll_083008.htm Strategic Vision]
|7/27/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|West Virginia
|38%
|45%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/west_virginia/election_2008_west_virginia_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/05/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Wisconsin
|47%
|42%
|[http://www.strategicvision.biz/index.html Strategic Vision]
|8/10/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Wyoming
|40%
|53%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/wyoming.html Research2000]
|5/29/08
|}

== Analysis of States by Region ==
Because of the [[electoral college]] system in the United States, it is important to analyze the presidential election by each state. These states are grouped into regions.

=== New England ===
[[Barack Obama]] is almost certain to win almost every state in this region, which tend to be very [[liberal]]. The only exception is in New Hampshire, where [[John McCain]] is well liked and George Bush won in 2000. This state is expected to be competitive. On the other hand, with only four electoral votes, the impact on the election will not be as great as some other battleground states.

=== Mid-Atlantic ===
[[New York]], [[Delaware]], and [[Maryland]] are solidly Democrat and will vote for Obama this election. [[New Jersey]] is less so, but still has Democratic leanings, and will probably go for Obama. [[Pennsylvania]] is a very important swing state for both candidates, as it has 21 electoral votes, fifth most in the nation, and has both liberal and conservative elements. In recent years, the state has moved toward becoming Democrat. However, it is not yet at the point that is safely in the Democratic camp, and will still be focused on heavily by both candidates during this election cycle. McCain still has a very good chance because Obama was unable to connect with the working-class citizens of Pennsylvania during the Democratic primary.

=== South-Atlantic ===
[[Washington, D.C.]] is overwhelmingly liberal and will vote for Obama; however, with three electoral votes its significance is limited. Although [[Virginia]] has usually been Republican territory in Presidential elections, this year it has become a competitive state. Democrats will work on increasing the voter turnout in the northern part of the state, with a high population of D.C. transplants. McCain's strength is in the southern regions and among the military. In the Carolinas, which usually votes Republican, McCain is seen as having the edge, but Obama may be competitive in these states if he mobilizes the African-American population. [[Georgia]] is a state where a third-party candidate [[Bob Barr]] could make a difference. While most voters favor McCain, he could lose enough votes to Barr to lose the state, especially if there is a large black turnout. [[Florida]] is a very close swing state, most famously known for its role in [[Election 2000]]. An important constituency in this state is the [[Jewish]] population, who are continuing to support Obama over McCain. Cuban-Americans, who are most upset with Obama's statements that he would meet with Fidel Castro, back McCain.

=== Deep South ===
John McCain will do well in the deep south. This includes the states of [[Texas]], [[Alabama]], [[Mississippi]], [[Louisiana]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Arkansas]], [[Tennessee]], [[Kentucky]] and [[West Virginia]]. This area is generally [[conservative]], and consistently vote Republican in Presidential elections. Although Obama believes in a fifty-state strategy, it is unlikely that such a strategy will be helpful in getting out the vote in these states apart from the black population.

===Swing States (Great Lakes Region)===
Strategists believe that the Republican presidential nominee must win Wisconsin or Minnesota, and hold Iowa but that the outcome in New Mexico, which has only 5 electoral votes, is irrelevant. Minnesota's margin of victory for the Democrats in 2004 probably places it out of reach for Republicans in 2008. This is confirmed by recent polling. However, due to the location of the Republican Convention in Minnesota, and if Governor Pawlenty is chosen as McCain's vice presidential pick, the state, with ten electoral votes, can come back into play.

=== West ===
Barack Obama is almost certainly guaranteed a win in the coastal states of California, Oregon and Washington, while John McCain is favored in Arizona, Idaho, Utah and Texas. Nevada, which voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004, may turn to Obama if Bob Barr manages to pull enough votes from McCain.

===Other Important Swing States===
Moreover, it is very important for republicans to hold Ohio and Florida. Fortunately, both states have tended to lean republican in the last two presidential elections. Although Florida was disputed in election 2000, it went to Bush undeniably in 2004. Virginia will also be heavily contested this year.

== General Strategy ==

McCain's team wants to convince the electorate of the long-term leadership and experience that John McCain has shown in two decades of government service while emphasizing the relative untested nature of Barak Obama.

Obama's team wants to convince the electorate that Obama is the candidate of fresh ideas while downplaying his relative inexperience compared to the more seasoned McCain. When possible, McCain is lumped together with George Bush, an unpopular President.

===Republican Strategy===
With more limited funding than his Democratic rival, McCain favors open town hall meetings to attract the greatest number of people. He is focusing his advertising on swing states. He has asked for open debates with Obama of the Lincoln-Douglas variety where candidates can talk directly to each other, but this was not accepted by the Democratic camp which prefers the current structured format.

McCain is pushing the idea that he is a proven leader who served his country and as President can be counted on to keep America safe from outside threats. His strongest supporters are the elderly - the group that most wants stability.

McCain chose first-term [[Alaska]] [[Governor]] [[Sarah Palin]] as his Vice Presidential nominee. Her relative inexperience on foreign policy issues undercuts his arguments against his opponent, [[Senator Barack Obama]], on experience, but also works to cut into [[Obama|Obama's]] call for "Change". In addition, McCain has touted [[Palin|Palin's]] record of standing up to the Alaska Republican party when she resigned from an Ethics Commission in protest over a lack of ethics of fellow commissioners, as well as when she ran against, and beat, then-incumbent Governor [[Frank Murkowski]] in the Republican primary in 2006. McCain will continue to tout her as a "maverick" and contrast her record outside of Washington, D.C. to Obama's V.P. nominee, [[Senator Joe Biden]]. Last, by choosing a female running mate, McCain hopes to increase his popularity amongst white women, where he currently trails Obama 43%-42% in a recent NBC/WSJ poll.<ref>[http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/Bringing_in_more_white_women.html?showall Bringing in more white women]</ref> In contrast, [[President Bush]] defeated [[Senator Kerry]] 55%-44% among this electorate in 2004. According to the NBC/WSJ poll, one in three of the undecided voters were white women, and therefore an electorate that is clearly up for grabs.

===Democratic Strategy===
Democrats are confident that the low popularity of [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] and particularly [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], which John McCain supports, puts them in a highly favorable position for 2008. They have been cautious in the Iraq arena realizing that 'The Surge' worked and they were on the wrong end of that issue. Focus is being put on a timeline for troops coming home, a position that most of the American population favors.

Democats believe it is their race to lose, but also realize they had a good chance to win the last two Presidential elections and came up short each time. General wisdom also states that a poor economy favors Obama, so they will try to point a dire picture in this area. As in past elections, differences between those who have obtained a high income level and those who have not will be emphasized.

Favored by the young, Democrats will try hard to encourage and get out the young vote, a task that has proven more difficult than expected in the last two election cycles. To their advantage, Obama made his vice presidential pick via text message to cell phone numbers registered on the site. The announcement went to 3 million cell phones, a useful database for "Get Out The Vote" (GOTV) efforts, when voters may not be home or reachable on their landline.

As an extension of the DNC's strategy in the 2006 elections, led by [[Howard Dean]], Barack Obama has been working towards a "50-state strategy." The campaign is working to place campaign offices throughout the country with a focus on voter registration. The increase in the rolls of Democratic voters from the primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Obama played out well for the Democrats and puts pressure on Senator McCain even in typically red states, and more specifically, "Lean Republican" states, to use the Cook Political Report's term. In addition, with a fundraising advantage, Obama is airing ads in those tight states forcing McCain to make decisions about whether to use funds to match ads and campaign efforts in those states or rely on historical results that those states will support him and focus funds in traditional toss-up states instead.

==Conventions==

===Democratic National Convention===
[[Image:democraticpartyusalogo.png|right|200px]] The 2008 Democratic National Convention was held in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], from August 25 to August 27 at Pepsi Center. There, Senator Obama and his running mate were selected to be the party nominee's. Barack Obama will accepted the party's nomination in front of a crowd of more than 75,000 in a free, open event held at INVESCO Field at Mile High, in a platform resemblant to a Greek temple. House Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] is the Permanent Chair of the Convention.

The convention had a rocky start as friction between supporters of Obama and the Clintons was not resolved. Instead of Obama getting a bump in the polls, his support actually declined. The Democrats also seemed to be at odds on finding a unifying strategy for how hard to attack John McCain and how to present it. As Democratic pundit James Carville said in an interview on [[CNN]], "If this party has a message, it's done a <heck> of a job hiding it tonight, I promise you that."<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080826/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_convention_rdp</ref>

A bleak convention was turned around by the Clintons. Infighting between Obama and Hillary continued through the day of her speech, but a comprise was reached, and, beyond expectations, she gave a rousing speech for Obama - possibly as an angry response to McCain's latest ad that showed her 'supporting' him. Bill Clinton the next night also praised Obama, something that he failed to effectively do in 2000 for Al Gore when he centered on his accomplishments and gave little more than lip service to Gore with statements amounting to 'and Al Gore was there too'. The convention, possibly remembering that, gave him the topic he was to speak on instead of choosing his own. Clinton was angered, but it worked. He came through. By the time Obama spoke on the last night, the theme that was missing at first was clear, and Obama mixed a message of attacking McCain with the need for change and even outlining some expensive programs that would appeal to the target populace who has been lukewarm to him. From a political point of view, the convention did what it was supposed to.

===Convention Schedule===

'''Monday 8/25 (Theme: One Nation):'''

* Former President [[Jimmy Carter]]
* [[Speaker of the House]] [[Nancy Pelosi]], D-[[California]]
* Congressman [[Jesse Jackson, Jr.]], D-[[Illinois]]
* Mayor John Hickenlooper, D-[[Denver]]
* Senator [[Amy Klobuchar]], D-[[Minnesota]]
* Mayor Manny Diaz, D-[[Miami]]
* Illinois state leaders Alexi Giannoulis, Dan Hynes, Lisa Madigan
* Tom Balanoff from Illinois SEIU
* [[National Education Association]] (NEA) President Reg Weaver
* AFT President Randi Weingarten
* [[NARAL Pro-Choice America]] President Nancy Keenan
* Senator [[Claire McCaskill]], D-Missouri
* Former State Representative Lee Hamilton, D-[[Indiana]]
* Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle
* Maya Soetoro-Ng - Barack Obama's half-sister
* Jerry Kellman - "Mentor and long-time friend of Barack Obama"

'''Tuesday 8/26 (Theme: Renewing America's Promise):'''

* Senator [[Patrick Leahy]], D-[[Vermont]]
* Governor [[Joe Manchin]], D-[[West Virginia]], Chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association
* Governor [[Chet Culver]], D-[[Iowa]]
* [[California]] State Controller John Chiang
* Change to Win’s Anna Burger
* [[AFL-CIO]] President John Sweeney
* [[Planned Parenthood of America]] President Cecile Richards.
* Pay Equity pioneer Lilly Ledbetter
* Governor [[Brian Schweitzer]], D-[[Montana]]
* Governor [[Deval Patrick]], D-[[Massachusetts]]
* Governor [[Kathleen Sebelius]], D-[[Kansas]]
* Governor [[Janet Napolitano]], D-[[Arizona]]
* Governor [[Jim Doyle]], D-[[Wisconsin]]
* Governor [[Ed Rendell]], D-[[Pennsylvania]]
* Governor [[Ted Strickland]], D-[[Ohio]]
* Governor [[David Paterson]], D-[[New York]]
* Senator [[Bob Casey, Jr.]], D-[[Pennsylvania]]
* Former Secretary of Energy and Transportation Federico Peña
* House Majority Leader [[Steny Hoyer]], D-[[Maryland]]
* House Democratic Caucus Chair [[Rahm Emanuel]], D-[[Illinois]]
* Representative [[Xavier Becerra]] (D-California), Assistant to the Speaker of the House;
* Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair [[Chris Van Hollen]]
* Representatives [[Nydia Velazquez]] (D-[[New York]])
* Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
* Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
* Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
* Mike Honda (D-CA)
* Senator and former Presidential candidate [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-NY)
* Former Governor [[Mark Warner]] (D-VA)--Keynote Speaker

'''Wednesday 8/27 (Theme: Securing America's Future): '''

* Former President [[Bill Clinton]]
* Governor [[Bill Richardson]], D-[[New Mexico]]
* Senator [[John Kerry]], D-[[Massachusetts]]
* Former Senate Minority Leader [[Tom Daschle]], D-[[South Dakota]]
* Senator [[Jack Reed]], D-[[Rhode Island]]
* Mayor [[Richard Daley]], D-[[Chicago]]
* Senator [[Evan Bayh]], D-[[Indiana]]
* Senator [[Joe Biden]], D-[[Delaware]]
* Senator [[Jay Rockefeller]], D-[[West Virginia]]
* Senate Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]], D-[[Nevada]]
* Senator [[Ken Salazar]], D-[[Colorado]]
* House Majority Whip [[James E. Clyburn]], D-[[South Carolina]]
* Congressman [[Robert Wexler]] (D-[[Florida]])

'''Thursday 8/28 (Theme: Change You Can Believe In):'''

* [[Colorado]] [[Governor]] [[Bill Ritter]]
* Former Vice President [[Al Gore]]
* Presidential nominee [[Barack Obama]]

===Republican National Convention===
[[Image:Cjjfdjfty.png|200px|right|"Republican Party Elephant" logo]] The 2008 Republican National Convention will be held in [[Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]] from September 1 ([[Labor Day]]) until September 4. The presumptive nominee will be Senator McCain. The location has political significance in that [[Minnesota]] will likely be a close state during the general election, as will it's neighboring states [[Wisconsin]] and [[Iowa]].

The convention had to be rescheduled due to the upcoming landfall of [[Hurricane Gustav]]. The first day almost entirely focused on raising money for Hurricane relief. It is expected that the convention will stick to it's original schedule for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

===Convention Schedule===

'''Monday 9/1 (Theme: Service):'''

*RNC Chairman Mike Duncan

*[[First Lady]] [[Laura Bush]]

*[[Cindy McCain]]

'''Tuesday 9/2 (Theme: Reform):'''
*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]], Keynote speaker

*Governor Jon Huntsman, R-[[Utah]]

*Governor [[Linda Lingle]], R-[[Hawaii]]

*Governor [[Sarah Palin]], R-[[Alaska]]

*Former Gov. [[Mike Huckabee]], R-[[Arkansas]]

*Former Gov. and Homeland Security Secretary [[Tom Ridge]], R-[[Pennsylvania]]

*Former Lt. Governor [[Michael Steele]], R-[[Maryland]]

*Senator [[Tom Coburn]], R-[[Oklahoma]]

*Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-[[Tennessee]]

*House Minority Leader [[John Boehner]], R-[[Ohio]]

*Congressman Marsha Blackburn, R-[[Tennessee]]

*Congressman Luis Fortuño, R-[[Puerto Rico]]

*Congressman Adam Putnam, R-[[Florida]]

*State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-[[California]]

*Rosario Marin, California Secretary of the State

*Chris Collins

*Carolyn Dunn

*Phil Hayes

*Lisa Keegan

*Ruth Novodor

*Dr. Elena Rios

*Shirley Sadler

*Joe Watkins

'''Wednesday 9/3 (Theme: Prosperity):'''

*[[Cindy McCain]]

*Republican Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee

*Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], R-[[Louisiana]]

*Former Gov. [[Mitt Romney]], R-[[Massachusetts]]

*Senator [[Norm Coleman]], R-[[Minnesota]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]], R-[[Texas]]

*Congressman [[Mike Pence]], R-[[Indiana]]

*Mayor Mick Cornett, R-Oklahoma City

*State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-[[California]]

*Carly Fiorina, Victory ‘08 Chairman for the RNC, former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co.

*Meg Whitman, National Co-Chair for McCain 2008 and former President and CEO of [[eBay]]

*Renee Amoore*

*Anne Beiler*

*Jessica Colon*

*Christy Swanson*

*Raul “Danny” Vargas*

'''Thursday 9/4 (Theme: Peace):'''

*[[John McCain]]

*Governor [[Charlie Crist]], R-[[Florida]]

*Governor [[Tim Pawlenty]], R-[[Minnesota]]

*Senator [[Sam Brownback]], R-[[Kansas]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]], R-[[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Mel Martinez]], R-[[Florida]]

*Former Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]], R-[[Tennessee]]

*Congressman Mary Fallin, R-[[Oklahoma ]]

*Michael Williams, Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission

*David Flau

*Christopher Fussner

*Lt. General Carol Mutter, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

*Charlie Smith

==Debates==
===Presidential Debates===
There will be three presidential debates for the 2008 election season. The first debate will be held on September 26th, at the University of Mississippi. The topic for the debate is "Foreign Policy & National Security" and will be moderated by Jim Lehrer. The debate will be a podium debate, broken into 9 nine-minute segments. The moderator will introduce a topic, and then each candidate will have 2 minutes to comment. Following their answers, there will be 5 minutes of open discussion on the topic, facilitated by the moderator.

The second debate will be held on October 7th, at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. The moderator will be Tom Brokaw, and the debate will be in a town hall-style. The questions will come from audience members and the Internet, as chosen by the moderator. After each question, the candidates will have two minutes each to respond, as well as a one-minute followup to the opposing candidate's response.

The final debate will be held on October 15th, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. The topic for the debate is "Domestic and Economic Policy" and will be moderated by Bob Schieffer. The candidates will be seated at a table, as opposed to behind a podium, and the format will follow that of the first debate. In addition, though, the candidates will be given an opportunity to present a 90-second closing argument.

===Vice Presidential Debate===
There will be one vice presidential debate held on October 2nd, at Washington University in Saint Louis, MO. The debate will be moderated by Gwen Ifill, with a format to be determined after the vice presidential nominees have been selected.

==Third parties and Independents==
===Libertarian party===
The [[Libertarian Party]] selected former Representative [[Bob Barr]] of [[Georgia]] as its 2008 presidential candidate on May 25, 2008.<ref>http://www.lpconvention.org/</ref> Former Democratic candididate [[Mike Gravel]] sought the Libertarian nomination but lost to Barr.<ref> http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/25/libertarians-pick-barr-as-presidential-nominee/ </ref>

Barr has, on his campaign website, linked to a proposed Libertarian strategy laid out by a member of his campaign staff. Although Barr has not officially claimed this as his strategy, the link appears to be a tacit endorsement. The strategy is called the "gold states" strategy. Instead of waging a 50-state campaign with the aim of securing 270 electoral votes and an outright electoral college win, Barr would focus on about 18-20 states where neither Obama or McCain has strong support. Winning that number of states could net Barr from 180-200 electoral votes, and would exceed either Obama or McCain's number and prevent either of them from reaching 270. Under US Constitution Amendment 12, with no candidate having an electoral vote majority, the election would be thrown into the House of Representatives, which would have to choose the president from the top three electoral vote getters. At this stage, Barr could argue that as the top electoral vote recipient, he should become the President, and might draw support from conservative Democrats displeased with Obama's positions, and from Republicans who dislike McCain.

Although winning the largest number of electoral votes would assist Barr in making such an argument, it is not absolutely necessary. Given the close divide in the electoral vote in the 2000 and 2004 elections, Barr could throw the vote into the House by winning a handful of states to garner perhaps 15-20 electoral votes.

The House of Representatives currently has a Democratic majority, but it is important to note that under the US Constitution Amendment 12, the vote is not a straight vote of the members of the House. Instead, each ''State'' gets one single vote, and that vote is determined by the members from that State. Although many large states like California and New York have large Democratic majorities, these will be balanced by the many smaller Southern and Midwestern states with Republican majorities. A handful of states have an even number of House members, and are split down the middle for control.

===Constitution Party===
The [[Constitution Party]] held its convention in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 24 through April 27. The party nominated Pastor [[Chuck Baldwin]] over former U.N. Ambassador and Republican presidential candidate [[Alan Keyes]].<ref> http://www.constitutionparty.com/news.php?aid=751 </ref>

===Green Party===
[[Cynthia McKinney]], who was defeated in her bid for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives after voting against the [[Iraq War]] and being arrested on battery charges after striking a Capitol Hill police officer, won the [[environmentalist]] [[Green Party]]'s nomination for president at the party convention July 12, 2008. Running for Vice President on the Green ticket is "Hip-Hop activist and journalist" Rosa Clemente.<ref>http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=79</ref>

===Independents===
[[Ralph Nader]] announced his independent candidacy for president on February 24, 2008, to focus on "stem[ming] corporate crime and Pentagon waste and promot[ing] labor rights", issues he feels are ignored by the main parties.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Feb24/0,4670,APNader,00.html</ref> His [[running mate]] is former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors [[Matt Gonzalez]].<ref>http://www.votenader.org/about/matt-gonzalez/</ref>

New York City Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]] has been frequently mentioned as a possible independent candidate for the 2008 presidential election and fueled that speculation when he left the Republican Party in June 2007. However, he declared in a February 28, 2008, op-ed article in ''The New York Times'', "I am not—and will not be—a candidate for president," but added that "[i]f a candidate takes an independent, nonpartisan approach—and embraces practical solutions that challenge party orthodoxy—I’ll join others in helping that candidate win the White House."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/opinion/28mike.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "I'm Not Running for President, but..."]</ref>

==Historical Information==

===Withdrawn Republican Party Candidates===
Senator [[Sam Brownback]], [[Kansas]], withdrew October 19, 2007, citing a lack of funding.<ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ifK7vLWH4aU4urzB-4bSX1u4QF9QD8SC0EI00</ref> Brownback also had done poorly at key conservative milestones, such as the [[Value Voters Debate]].<ref>http://www.valuesvoterdebate.com/pollresults.cfm, Brownback lost sizably to [[Mike Huckabee]].</ref> He endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]].

Former Governor [[Jim Gilmore]], [[Virginia]], withdrew July 14, 2007

Former Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani|Rudolph Giuliani]], [[New York City]] He withdrew after a defeat in [[Florida]], on which he had depended on heavily. He endorsed John McCain afterwards.

Former Governor [[Mike Huckabee]], [[Arkansas]]. He withdrew from the race once McCain received the 1,191 delegates needed to win the nomination. He also promised to support McCain as the nominee, thus giving his endorsement to him.

Representative [[Duncan Hunter]], [[California]] 52nd, withdrew January 19, 2008 and endorsed Governor Mike Huckabee.

Representative [[Ron Paul]], [[Texas]] 14th, withdrew June 12, 2008.

Former Governor [[Mitt Romney]], [[Massachusetts]], suspended his campaign after poor showings on [[Super Tuesday]] and later endorsed John McCain.

Representative [[Tom Tancredo]], [[Colorado]] 6th, withdrew December 20, 2007. He endorsed fmr. Governor [[Mitt Romney]] of [[Massachusetts]].

Former Senator [[Fred Thompson]], [[Tennessee]]. He endorsed [[John McCain]] of Arizona.

Former Governor and HS Secretary [[Tommy Thompson]], withdrew August 12, 2007. He endorsed fmr. Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] of [[New York]].

===Potential Republican Candidates Who Declined to Run===
*Former Senator [[George Allen]], Virginia - endorsed Fred Thompson.
*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]], [[Florida]] - endorsed John McCain.
*[[Vice President]] [[Dick Cheney]]
*Former Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]], Tennessee
*Former [[Speaker of the House]] [[Newt Gingrich]], [[Georgia]]
*Senator [[Chuck Hagel]], [[Nebraska]]
*Former Governor [[George Pataki]], New York
*[[Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]]
*Governor [[Mark Sanford]], [[South Carolina]]
*Former Senator [[Rick Santorum]], [[Pennsylvania]]

===Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate===
[[Image:Sarah Palin.jpg|thumb|left|100px|thumb]]
*Governor [[Sarah Palin]] of [[Alaska]].

=== Withdrawn Democratic Party candidates ===

Senator [[Joseph Biden]], [[Delaware]]<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/04/chris-dodd-abandons-presidential-campaign-after-poor-showing-in-iowa/ </ref> He withdrew after a disappointing finish in the [[Iowa Caucus]].

Senator [[Hillary Clinton]], [[New York]] Suspended her campaign after Obama reached the number of needed delegates. She endorsed him shortly afterwards.

Senator [[Chris Dodd]], [[Connecticut]]<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/04/chris-dodd-abandons-presidential-campaign-after-poor-showing-in-iowa/</ref> He withdrew after a disappointing finish in the [[Iowa Caucus]] and later endorsed Senator [[Barack Obama]].

Former Senator [[John Edwards]], [[North Carolina]]. He withdrew after losing in all of the early primary states. He later endorsed Senator Obama after Obama won the North Carolina primary.

Former Senator [[Mike Gravel]], [[Alaska]]. He withdrew to seek the Libertarian party nomination (which he lost to Bob Barr.) He also endorsed Green Party Candidate, Jesse Johnson. <ref> http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/03/12/democratic-candidate-gravel-endorses-green-party-presidential-hopeful/ </ref>

Representative [[Dennis Kucinich]], [[Ohio]] 10th<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/24/kucinich-drops-presidential-bid/ </ref> He withdrew to keep his seat in the House of Representatives.

Governor [[Bill Richardson]], [[New Mexico]]<ref>
[http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/09/ap-bill-richardson-drops-out-of-democratic-presidential-race/ AP: Bill Richardson Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Race], [[Associated Press]], [[Fox News Channel]], January 9, 2008</ref> He withdrew after twin fourth-place finishes (in Iowa and New Hampshire) that showed his credentials could not compete with his rivals’ star power. He later endorsed Senator Obama.

Former Governor [[Tom Vilsack]], Iowa. He endorsed [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]]

===Potential Democratic Candidates Who Declined to Run===
*Senator [[Evan Bayh]], [[Indiana]] - endorsed Hillary Clinton
*[[General]] [[Wesley Clark]] (Ret.) - endorsed Hillary Clinton
*Former Senate Minority Leader [[Tom Daschle]], [[South Dakota]]
*Former Governor and current DNC Chairman [[Howard Dean]], [[Vermont]]
*Senator [[Russ Feingold]], [[Wisconsin]]
*Former Vice President [[Al Gore]], [[Tennessee]]
*Senator [[John Kerry]], Massachusetts - endorsed Barack Obama
*Rev. [[Al Sharpton]]
*Former Governor [[Mark Warner]], [[Virginia]]

===Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate===
On August 23rd, Senator Barack Obama announced, via text message to 3 million cell phone numbers of his supporters, his nomination of Joseph Biden to Vice President.
[[Image:06 biden.gif|thumb|left|100px|Joseph Biden]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

==Primaries and Caucuses==
===Iowa Caucus: January 3, 2008===
The first caucus in the 2008 presidential election cycle was the [[Iowa Caucus]]. The Democratic winner of the Iowa caucus was [[Barack Obama]], who managed to beat national frontrunner [[Hillary Clinton]] and former [[North Carolina]] Senator, [[John Edwards]]. The official results were:
{| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Iowa caucus results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| Barack Obama
| 38%
|-
| John Edwards
| 30%
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 29%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 2%
|-
| Joseph Biden
| 1%
|-
|}
Other candidates such as, [[Chris Dodd]], [[Dennis Kucinich]] and [[Mike Gravel]] did not gain a significant percentage. Because of the Iowa results, [[Barack Obama]] was expected now to beat [[Hillary Clinton]] in the upcoming [[New Hampshire]] primary. Also, [[Joe Biden]] and [[Chris Dodd]] both withdrew from the race because of their low showings in the Iowa caucus.

On the Republican side, [[Mike Huckabee]] defeated [[Mitt Romney]] by an even closer margin. The results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP Iowa caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 34%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 25%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 13%
|-
| John McCain
| 13%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 10%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 3%
|}

Candidates such as [[Duncan Hunter]], [[Alan Keyes]] and [[John H. Cox]] didn't come out with a significant percentage. Romney's loss in [[Iowa]] set him back in the upcoming primary in [[New Hampshire]]. Huckabee's win however gave him surge in [[New Hampshire]] where he had before been very low in the polls. McCain's unexpected high showing in Iowa also gave him a little boost in New Hampshire.

===New Hampshire Primary: January 8, 2008===
The next milestone after the Iowa caucus was the New Hampshire primary. (Only the Republican Wyoming primary occurred on January 5, which was won by Romney.) On the Republican side, Mitt Romney's defeat in Iowa helped his most significant opponent, John McCain. Huckabee's victory in Iowa helped boost his campaign and gave him a higher showing than even he had expected. On the Democratic side, Obama's defeat of Clinton and Edwards led to the polls usually predicting a Obama victory in New Hampshire.
The winner for the Republicans was John McCain and for the Democrats Hillary Clinton. The Democratic results were:

{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. NH primary results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 39%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 36%
|-
| John Edwards
| 17%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 5%
|-
| Dennis Kucinich
| 1%
|}

Hillary Clinton's win was a setback for Obama and much-needed victory for Clinton. The polls reliability was most hurt with these results. (Mike Gravel didn't reach a significant percentage.)
The Republican results were:

{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP NH primary results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 37%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 31%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 11%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 9%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 8%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 1%
|-
| Duncan Hunter
| 1%
|}

These results put the very survival of Mitt Romney on the line and intensified the upcoming Michigan primary. John McCain's victory helped boost his campaign and he predicted to go on to victory in Michigan and South Carolina. Huckabee also did well and placed an unusual third place.

===Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina===
Romney's second-place defeat in Iowa and New Hampshire, caused his campaign to focus all its attention on the Michigan Primary on January 15th. He managed to defeat his rivals, John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
Since the Democrats had taken Michigan's delegates away, most of the candidates didn't even bother to get on the ballot. Clinton won easily, because she was one of the only major candidates to be even on the ballot.
Romney and the Democrats turned their attention to the Nevada caucus, while Republicans John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson looked to the South Carolina primary. (The Republicans had the South Carolina primary on the same day as the Nevada caucus, January 19th.)
The Democratic results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Nevada caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! Percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 51%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 45%
|-
| John Edwards
| 4%
|}

Hillary Clinton probably won because of her strong position on the Yucca Mountain issue, which was critical to Democratic caucus goers.
Romney easily won the Republican Nevada caucus, probably because it is close to Utah, a traditionally Mormon state. Duncan Hunter had been hoping for a strong finish in Nevada and decided to leave the race, because of his poor showings.

{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP SC caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 33%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 30%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 16%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 15%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 4%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 2%
|}

McCain’s victory in South Carolina propelled him as the national front-runner. Mike Huckabee’s 2nd place defeat forced him to cut back in expenses due to lack of funds. Fred Thompson’s defeat was irreparable and he withdrew from the race shortly afterwards

The Democrats prepared for the primary in South Carolina on January 26th. Obama won the primary by a huge margin over Clinton and Edwards. This was a severe loss for Edwards since he had been born in South Carolina and was Senator for North Carolina. Obama probably won because of the state’s huge black population.

===Florida Primary: January 29, 2008===
Because Florida moved its date to January 29th the Democratic party stripped Florida of its delegates and the candidates agreed not to campaign there.
The Democratic results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Florida primary results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 50%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 33%
|-
| John Edwards
| 14%
|-
| Joe Biden
| 1%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 1%
|-
| Dennis Kucinich
| 1%
|}
Florida was the last early primary state and after his loss, John Edwards suspended his campaign. (Although they had withdrawn, candidates Biden, Richardson and Kucinich still received votes. Mike Gravel didn't receive a percentage.)
The Republicans concentrated on Florida more than the Democrats, because the Republican party chose to remove only half of their delegates. Candidate [[Rudy Giuliani]] chose to ignore earlier primaries, hoping that a large win in Florida, with its strong transplanted New Yorkers contingent, would propel him to the nomination. Unfortunately, with earlier wins, John McCain and Mitt Romney both gained momentum and began to lead Giuliani in the polls.
The Republican results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP Florida primary results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 36%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 31%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 15%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 13%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 3%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 1%
|}

The results caused Giuliani to exit the race the next day and endorse the primary winner, John McCain. (Although Fred Thompson had withdrawn he got some support anyway.)

===Super Tuesday: February 5, 2008===
Super Tuesday held the largest number of presidential primary's and caucuses. Twenty-four states were held for one or both parties were held on this date.

*The Democratic results were:
*Candidates
*Hillary Clinton, 9 states won, ([[American Samoa]], [[Arizona]], [[Arkansas]], [[California]], [[Massachusetts]], [[New Jersey]], [[New Mexico]], [[New York]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Tennessee]].) Number of delegates won, 826.
*Barack Obama, 13 states won, ([[Alabama]], [[Alaska]], [[Colorado]], [[Connecticut]], [[Delaware]], [[Georgia]], [[Idaho]], [[Illinois]], [[Kansas]], [[Minnesota]], [[Missouri]], [[North Dakota]], [[Utah]].) Number of delegates won, 838.

*GOP Super Tuesday primary results
*John McCain, 9 states won, (Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma). Number of delegates won: 602.
*Mitt Romney, 7 states won, (Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah). Number of delegates won: 201.
*Mike Huckabee, 5 states won, (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia). Number of delegates won: 152.
*Ron Paul, 0 states won. Number of delegates won: 10

===February 9th Primaries===
The next major primary after Super Tuesday was on February 9, 2008. The Democrats held contests in [[Louisiana]], [[Nebraska]] & [[Washington]]. The Republicans held three other contests in [[Kansas]], [[Louisiana]] & [[Washington]].
Governor Huckabee won Kansas and Louisiana, but lost to McCain in Washington by a close margin. Barrack Obama won all three Democratic contests, and also won the Maine caucus, the next day on February 10th.

===Potomac Primary: February 12, 2008===
The next primary-date was the Potomac primary on February 12. It is called that because the three states; [[District of Columbia]], [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]], which all were near the Potomac River, had their primary date on the same date. John McCain won all three Republican contests, while Barrack Obama won all of the Democratic contests.

===Super Tuesday 2: March 4, 2008===
After Obama won his 11th consecutive victory on the February 19th primaries in [[Wisconsin]] and [[Hawaii]], Clinton was desperate to win the March 4th primaries in [[Ohio]], [[Texas]], [[Rhode Island]] & [[Vermont]]. Huckabee also needed more victories to prevent McCain from reaching the needed 1,191 delegates for the Republican nomination.

Clinton won all of the states except for Vermont, which Obama won. McCain won all of the primaries, causing Governor Huckabee to leave the race that evening.

===Pennsylvania Primary===
After Clinton's victories on Super Tuesday 2, both Democrats looked ahead to the Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd. Obama lost some popularity after video clips were shown of his Pastor, Rev. [[Jeremiah Wright]], saying "God damn America!" during a sermon. Obama also commented about people bitterly clinging to guns and religion because they were upset with Washington policies. Clinton beat Obama by 9 percentage points, continuing the long drawn-out contest between the two. John McCain was able to easily win the primary as the Republican party's presumptive nominee.

===Guam Caucus===
On May 3rd, Guam held its Democratic caucuses. Out of more than 4,500 votes, Senator Obama won by 7 votes. The results gave Obama 2 pledged delegates and Senator Clinton 2 pledged delegates.

===Indiana and North Carolina Primary===
Both Indiana and North Carolina held their primaries on May 6th. Heading into the primary, registered African American voters reported receiving "robocalls" telling them they were not registered to vote. The calls were traced back to an organization called "Women's Voices Women Vote". The organization included members close to the Clintons. The calls ended with an order from the state Attorney General. Senator Obama proceeded to win the primary with 56.1%.

Leading into the Indiana primary, the polls were very close, with neither candidate leading by more than the polls' margin-of-error. Senator Clinton was looking for a large win to follow up on the Pennsylvania primary, with much the same demographic as PA and Ohio. Senator Obama, though, surprised many in the news media and the Clinton campaign by losing by only a small margin, 50.56% - 49.44%. With the near-split of the delegates in Indiana, combined with his win in North Carolina, the media began to declare Senator Obama as the nominee, although he had not yet reached the necessary delegate count.

===West Virginia Primary===
With a strong working-class demographic, Senator Clinton was expected to win the West Virginia primary on May 13th. Polls leading into the primary had her up 29 points on Senator Obama. The final vote tally exceeded the polls, with Senator Clinton winning 66.99% - 25.67%.

===Oregon and Kentucky Primaries===
The Oregon primary was a mail-only primary--the only such primary in the nation. Democratic voters received ballots in the mail between May 2nd and May 6th, and had to be received by county election officials by May 20th. Polling leading up to the primary showed Senator Obama with a 10-15% lead over Senator Clinton. Obama held a rally on May 18th at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland which drew an estimated 72,000 people. It was the largest rally Obama had held, more than doubling the 35,000 that came out to see him in Pennsylvania. By the end of the vote tally, Obama had won the state primary 58.5% - 40.5%.

The Kentucky primary, held the same day, was long believed a lock for Senator Clinton. The voter demographic mirrored the West Virginia primary, with a heavy working-class population. Senator Clinton easily won the primary, 65.5% - 29.9%. The large win, though, was drowned out in the media by Senator Obama's win in Oregon, and more importantly, by the endorsement of Senator Obama by former opponent and former vice presidential candidate, John Edwards.

===Puerto Rico Primary===
With Clinton behind in both pledged and superdelegates at this point in the race, every primary and delegate became even more important to forestall Obama reaching the necessary number of delegate to clinch the nomination. Clinton's strategy was to win out the primaries and work to convince superdelegates to support her nomination at the party convention as the best chance to beat McCain. Thus Puerto Rico, usually an afterthought in previous elections, rated visits by both candidates before the June 1st primary. Heading into the primary, Clinton led in two polls by 13% each time. The results beat poll expectations, with Clinton winning the primary 67.7% - 31.27%.

===Montana and South Dakota Democratic Primaries===
The last Democratic primaries were held on June 3rd. Senator Obama needed to win one of the primaries, and merely come close in the other to clinch the nomination. In Montana, Obama got the win he needed, defeating Senator Clinton 56.3%-41.25%. In South Dakota, Senator Clinton won, but with a close enough margin to give Obama the final delegates necessary. The result of the primary was 55.35% - 44.65%. Senator Obama was in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the site of the Republican Nominating Convention, to accept the party's unofficial nomination. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtL-1V3OZ0c Barack Obama Democratic Nomination Victory Speech]</ref>

==See Also==
[[Previous Breaking News/2008 Presidential Election|Articles about the '''2008 Presidential Election''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

== References ==
<references/>

{{2008 presidential candidates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2008, United States presidential election,}}
[[Category: United States]]
[[Category:United States Presidential Elections]]

United States Presidential Election, 2008

2008-09-02T20:02:18Z

JohnI: /* First election without incumbents since 1928 */ With the recent VP picks, it is indeed a race without incumbants.

[[Image:Presidential election map.gif|right|thumb|350px|Battleground states]] {{move|United States presidential election, 2008}}

The '''2008 United States Presidential Election''' is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref> The primary season for both the [[Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party]] officially began on January 3, 2008 with the [[Iowa Caucus]]es and ended on June 3, 2008.<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/calendar/</ref> The 2008 election cycle has seen a major shift to the primary election calendar, frontloading many primaries into early February.<ref>http://www.miamiherald.com/515/story/43160.html</ref> [[Barack Obama|Senator Barack Obama]] of [[Illinois]] is the [[Democratic Party]] nominee, with Senator [[Joe Biden]] of [[Delaware]] being his Vice Presidential running mate. They are the first Democratic Presidential ticket in a 100 years with no executive experience or military experience. Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]] is expected to win the Republican nomination. His Vice Presidential nominee is [[Alaska]] Governor [[Sarah Palin]].
==First election without incumbents since 1928==
If eligible to do so, the President of the United States often runs for reelection. If the President does not run, the [[Vice President of the United States]] will often run to replace the President after he leaves office. 2008 will mark the first time since the 1928 election in which there is neither an incumbent President nor an incumbent Vice President running for his party's presidential nomination and thus not running in the Presidential election. In the [[United States presidential election of 1952]], the race was between Republican candidate [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Democratic candidate [[Adlai Stevenson]]. Vice President [[Alben Barkley]] sought but failed to win the Democratic nomination. Current Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] has repeatedly stated he will not run for President. "I will say just as hard as I possibly know how to say... If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve," Cheney said on ''[[Fox News]] Sunday''.

==Differences between 2008 and other elections==
In 2008, [[CNN]]-[[YouTube]] held the first debate in which the questions asked of the nominees in each party came primarily from YouTube viewer submitted videos. The debates received high ratings, however, CNN was criticized for not picking questions that were 'tough' or pertinent enough. One such example was during the Democratic Debate, when CNN chose to ask a question from a snow man, talking about [[global warming]]. During the Republican debate, some claimed that many of the questions were from Democratic supporters just meant to embarrass the Republican candidates. For example, a question over whether or not homosexuals should serve in the U.S. military was asked by retired general and gay activist Keith Kerr, an adviser to [[Hillary Clinton]]'s campaign.

The internet has also played a major role in the election, with then-Republican presidential candidate [[Ron Paul]] and Democratic candidate Barack Obama being very active on the internet.

== Uncommitted Electorate ==

As of July 30th, 2008 14% of respondents are undecided, almost twice as high as the 8% at a similar time period in 2004.<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/in_white_house_race_twice_as_many_voters_uncommitted_compared_to_four_years_ago Uncommitted numbers]</ref>

==Opinion polling==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Polling Outfit
! Date
! Sample*
! Obama (D)
! McCain (R)
|-
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/daily_presidential_tracking_poll Rasmussen Tracking]
| 08/30 - 09/01
| 3000 LV
| '''48'''
| 43
|-
|-
|[http://www.gallup.com/poll/109960/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Hits-50-First-Time.aspx Gallup Tracking]
| 08/30 - 09/01
| 2733 RV
| '''50'''
| 42
|-
|-
| [http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/Aug08bPostDemConv.pdf CBS News]
| 08/29 - 08/31
| 781 RV
| '''48'''
| 40
|-
|-
|[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-09-01-poll-monday_N.htm USA Today/Gallup]
| 08/30 - 08/31
| 1835 RV
| '''50'''
| 43
|-
|-
|[http://www.nationaljournal.com/hotline/wakeupcall.php Diageo/Hotline]
| 08/29 - 08/31
| RV
| '''48'''
| 39
|-
|}

*RV refers to registered voters, LV refers to likely voters.

Most polling that has been done fails to include all the candidates who will actually be on the ballot in November. A Rasmussen poll on May 18, reported on a four-way race between Barack Obama, John McCain, Ralph Nader and Bob Barr. The poll, which was conducted before Barr became the Libertarian nominee and made a number of high-profile talk show appearances, found that Barr would finish in third place with 6% of the vote, and Nader with 4%.<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/will_third_party_candidates_tip_the_presidential_race</ref> Another poll conducted around that time showed Barr picking up 8% of the vote in [[Georgia]], seriously hurting McCain's chances of winning that state.<ref>http://www.southernpoliticalreport.com/storylink_520_404.aspx</ref> It should be noted that in the actual elections, third party candidates such as Barr and Nader generally have much lower percentage of votes cast for them than they poll beforehand. Also, when possible, polling is reported without counting 'leaners'. Leaners so far have been favoring McCain.

Due to the nature of the presidential election, relying on state-by-state electoral votes as opposed to the nationwide popular vote, nationwide polls may be less predictive of the election results. An alternative approach is to take aggregate results of state-by-state polling in order to create an electoral map. So far most polling sites doing this have found the election favoring Obama, much as the general polling has shown, although generally dependent on how leaning states vote come election day.<ref>http://www.pollster.com/</ref><ref>[http://www.politico.com/convention/swingstate.html Politico's 2008 Swing State Map]</ref>

== McCain vs. Obama ==
[[Image:Casmier.jpg|left|thumb|180px|'''John McCain (R)''']][[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|left|'''Barack Obama (D)''']]
McCain had the early edge, wrapping up the Republican nomination before Obama was known to be the choice of the Democrats, but this was one of the few advantages he has had. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama raised far more money than McCain and the Democratic primary saw a surge of new voters coming out leading to a large increase in the rolls of Democrats. From the historical position of a generally equal number of Republicans and Democrats, the numbers have now tilted 41% Democrat to only 32% Republican. From the time that Obama was declared the nominee, opinion polling showed him with a modest advantage over McCain in terms of who the voters would choose to be their next President.

Obama's strategy was to tie McCain to George Bush, a very unpopular President, even though McCain was not a part of the Bush administration and often clashed with Bush during his time as senator. McCain, for his part, had to walk a fine line with accepting praise from the President to woo conservatives, while at the same time keeping enough distance so as to not alienate moderates. When possible, McCain went after Obama's lack of foreign policy experience.

On paper, the nomination would seem to heavily favor the Democrats. Overall, Democrat candidates have a +10% advantage over Republicans in a 'generic' election. The current unpopular President is a Republican, and the economy is treading water. Also, based on statistical percentages of articles on each candidate, Obama was being focused on with press coverage far more than McCain. When McCain chastised Obama for his lack of foreign policy experience and that he hadn't been to Iraq or Afghanistan in years, Obama's campaign set up for him to take a trip to both countries. While this is expected in politics, the decision of every major network to send a team of reporters to follow him was unprecedented. Obama spoke to 200,000 people in Berlin in a highly covered speech. McCain spoke to 50,000 in Buffalo shortly thereafter and barely got a whisper. Obama's numbers started to rise, but a good deal of the populace was noticing the disparity as 48% of those polled felt the press was trying to help Obama win.

Obama seemed pleased to coast on his advantages, but McCain realized he needed to shake things up. He scored by pushing offshore drilling for oil during a time when oil prices were climbing almost daily. Obama rejected the idea, but the poll numbers started to show a greater percentage of Americans warming to the concept<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/61_say_congress_should_vote_on_offshore_drilling_right_now Offshore Drilling poll]</ref> and McCain's numbers started to improve. Obama announced he would accept some measure of offshore drilling, and McCain's momentum was haltered and his gains retreated by a couple of points. McCain started an ad campaign that acknowledged Obama's celebrity status, but asking what it meant. A few days later at the start of August he called out Obama for 'playing the race card' when Obama made a reference to McCain and Bush trying to scare people because he (Obama) doesn't look like other Presidents on dollar bills. The Democrats fired back, but quickly let the issue drop when poll numbers showed that most voters did consider Obama's statement to be racist.<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/only_22_say_mccain_ad_racist_but_over_half_53_see_obama_dollar_bill_comment_that_way</ref>. The bounce for Obama after the Berlin speech shrank back to pre-trip levels. While Obama continued to enjoy a slight lead in the polls, McCain continued to keep the race close without either candidate breaking away.

In mid-August both candidates came together at the invitation of Pastor [[Rick Warren]] where each was asked a series of the same questions dealing both with political and personal views. While not a debate, it was the first televised forum where both candidates had a chance to express themselves and their positions. Obama hoped to appeal to Christian conservatives by expressing a religious side while McCain hoped to solidify the conservative base by sharing his own conservative and religious credentials. The difference in style between the two was evident as Obama spent more time explaining and expounding on his positions while McCain was more straight-forward and received more laughs with his candid speaking style. The polling numbers continued as they had been.

There was a bounce at the start of the Democratic convention, but not what was expected as McCain suddenly drew even in the race. The friction between Hillary Clinton and Obama as well as the perceived slight of Hillary when Biden was chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate hurt Obama at a time when his approval was expected to climb. McCain then made a mistake by airing an ad of Hillary Clinton that 'supported' him. Clinton was set to speak at the convention and it was no secret that there was bad blood between her and Obama and it was widely believed that her support for Obama would be lukewarm at best. Instead, apparently galvanized by McCain's hubris before her speech, she came out strongly for Obama and rallied those who supported her. Obama's pre-convention edge returned.

== State by State Breakdown ==
The United States had become so regionally polarized that even though the 2004 presidential election was close nationwide, only nine states had outcomes having less than 4% margin between the candidates:

State, margin of victory, party that won the state in 2004

#Wisconsin, 0.38% (Dem)
#Iowa, 0.67% (Repub)
#New Mexico, 0.79% (Repub)
#New Hampshire, 1.37% (Dem)
#Ohio, 2.11% (Repub)
#Pennsylvania, 2.50% (Dem)
#Nevada, 2.59% (Repub)
#Michigan, 3.42% (Dem)
#Minnesota, 3.48% (Dem)

It is assumed that the 2008 election will be similar where close battles in a few states could determine the outcome. Individual state polling numbers for the 2008 election so far:

* Red = McCain leading
* Blue = Obama leading

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! State
! Obama (D)
! McCain (R)
! Source
! Updated
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Alabama
|37%
|55%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/alabama/election_2008_alabama_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Alaska
|40%
|44%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/alaska/election_2008_alaska_presidential_election Rasmussen]
| 7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Arkansas
|37%
|47%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/arkansas/election_2008_arkansas_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/17/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Arizona
|40%
|52%
|[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_Arizona_804.pdf PPP]
|7/31/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|California
|51%
|37%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/california/election_2008_california_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/20/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Colorado
|46%
|47%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Connecticut
|52%
|35%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/connecticut/election_2008_connecticut_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Delaware
|50%
|41%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/delaware.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Florida
|45%
|44%
|[http://www.wesh.com/news/17312592/detail.html Mason-Dixon]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Georgia
|43%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/georgia/election_2008_georgia_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/14/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Hawaii
|61%
|31%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/hawaii.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Idaho
|37%
|53%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/idaho.html DailyKos.com]
|7/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Illinois
|53%
|38%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/illinois/election_2008_illinois_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/14/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Indiana
|42%
|46%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/indiana/election_2008_indiana_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/19/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Iowa
|50%
|43%
|[http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2008/august/081908hawkeye_poll.html University of Iowa]
|8/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Kansas
|37%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/kansas/election_2008_kansas_presidential_election Rasmuseen]
|8/11/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Kentucky
|39%
|49%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/kentucky/election_2008_kentucky_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/29/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Louisiana
|34%
|54%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/maine/election_2008_maine_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/12/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Maine
|49%
|36%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/maine/election_2008_maine_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/12/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Maryland
|53%
|40%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/maryland.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Massachusetts
|51%
|36%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/massachusetts/election_2008_massachusetts_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/5/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Michigan
|46%
|39%
|[http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS15/308210001/1215 Detroit Free Press]
|8/21/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Minnesota
|48%
|38%
|[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/08/20/prezpoll/ MPR/Humphrey Institute]
|8/17/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Mississippi
|41%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/mississippi/election_2008_mississippi_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/28/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Missouri
|41%
|48%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/missouri/election_2008_missouri_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/7/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Montana
|44%
|45%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/montana/election_2008_montana_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/29/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Nebraska
|32%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/nevada/election_2008_nevada_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/11/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Nevada
|49%
|44%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Hampshire
|43%
|42%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/new_hampshire/election_2008_new_hampshire_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/19/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Jersey
|48%
|40%
|[http://beta.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/new_jersey/election_2008_new_jersey_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/04/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New Mexico
|53%
|40%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|New York
|52%
|32%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_carolina/election_2008_north_carolina_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|North Carolina
|42%
|45%
|[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_NC_826.pdf PPP]
|8/23/08
|- style="background:white; color:black"
|North Dakota
|43%
|43%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/north_dakota/election_2008_north_dakota_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/18/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Ohio
|44%
|43%
|[http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2882.xml?ReleaseID=1210/ohio/election_2008_ohio_presidential_election Quinnipiac]
|8/24/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Oklahoma
|38%
|52%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/oklahoma.html SurveyUSA]
|6/13/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Oregon
|47%
|37%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/oregon/election_2008_oregon_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|8/7/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Pennsylvania
|48%
|43%
|[http://www.time.com/time/2008/poll_main.pdf CNN/Time]
|8/26/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Rhode Island
|55%
|31%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/rhode_island/election_2008_rhode_island_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/04/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|South Carolina
|39%
|48%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/south_carolina/election_2008_south_carolina_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/07/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|South Dakota
|40%
|44%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/south_dakota/election_2008_south_dakota_presidential_election2 Rasmussen]
|7/09/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Tennessee
|36%
|51%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/tennessee/election_2008_tennessee_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/24/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Texas
|41%
|50%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/texas/election_2008_texas_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|7/30/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Utah
|33%
|52%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/utah/election_2008_utah_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/22/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Vermont
|63%
|29%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/vermont.html SurveyUSA]
|3/06/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Virginia
|47%
|45%
|[http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2008/08/virginia-president-and-senate.html PPP]
|8/22/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Washington
|48%
|37%
|[http://strategicvision.biz/political/wa_poll_083008.htm Strategic Vision]
|7/27/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|West Virginia
|38%
|45%
|[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/west_virginia/election_2008_west_virginia_presidential_election Rasmussen]
|6/05/08
|- style="background:white; color:blue"
|Wisconsin
|47%
|42%
|[http://www.strategicvision.biz/index.html Strategic Vision]
|8/10/08
|- style="background:white; color:red"
|Wyoming
|40%
|53%
|[http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/2008/wyoming.html Research2000]
|5/29/08
|}

== Analysis of States by Region ==
Because of the [[electoral college]] system in the United States, it is important to analyze the presidential election by each state. These states are grouped into regions.

=== New England ===
[[Barack Obama]] is almost certain to win almost every state in this region, which tend to be very [[liberal]]. The only exception is in New Hampshire, where [[John McCain]] is well liked and George Bush won in 2000. This state is expected to be competitive. On the other hand, with only four electoral votes, the impact on the election will not be as great as some other battleground states.

=== Mid-Atlantic ===
[[New York]], [[Delaware]], and [[Maryland]] are solidly Democrat and will vote for Obama this election. [[New Jersey]] is less so, but still has Democratic leanings, and will probably go for Obama. [[Pennsylvania]] is a very important swing state for both candidates, as it has 21 electoral votes, fifth most in the nation, and has both liberal and conservative elements. In recent years, the state has moved toward becoming Democrat. However, it is not yet at the point that is safely in the Democratic camp, and will still be focused on heavily by both candidates during this election cycle. McCain still has a very good chance because Obama was unable to connect with the working-class citizens of Pennsylvania during the Democratic primary.

=== South-Atlantic ===
[[Washington, D.C.]] is overwhelmingly liberal and will vote for Obama; however, with three electoral votes its significance is limited. Although [[Virginia]] has usually been Republican territory in Presidential elections, this year it has become a competitive state. Democrats will work on increasing the voter turnout in the northern part of the state, with a high population of D.C. transplants. McCain's strength is in the southern regions and among the military. In the Carolinas, which usually votes Republican, McCain is seen as having the edge, but Obama may be competitive in these states if he mobilizes the African-American population. [[Georgia]] is a state where a third-party candidate [[Bob Barr]] could make a difference. While most voters favor McCain, he could lose enough votes to Barr to lose the state, especially if there is a large black turnout. [[Florida]] is a very close swing state, most famously known for its role in [[Election 2000]]. An important constituency in this state is the [[Jewish]] population, who are continuing to support Obama over McCain. Cuban-Americans, who are most upset with Obama's statements that he would meet with Fidel Castro, back McCain.

=== Deep South ===
John McCain will do well in the deep south. This includes the states of [[Texas]], [[Alabama]], [[Mississippi]], [[Louisiana]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Arkansas]], [[Tennessee]], [[Kentucky]] and [[West Virginia]]. This area is generally [[conservative]], and consistently vote Republican in Presidential elections. Although Obama believes in a fifty-state strategy, it is unlikely that such a strategy will be helpful in getting out the vote in these states apart from the black population.

===Swing States (Great Lakes Region)===
Strategists believe that the Republican presidential nominee must win Wisconsin or Minnesota, and hold Iowa but that the outcome in New Mexico, which has only 5 electoral votes, is irrelevant. Minnesota's margin of victory for the Democrats in 2004 probably places it out of reach for Republicans in 2008. This is confirmed by recent polling. However, due to the location of the Republican Convention in Minnesota, and if Governor Pawlenty is chosen as McCain's vice presidential pick, the state, with ten electoral votes, can come back into play.

=== West ===
Barack Obama is almost certainly guaranteed a win in the coastal states of California, Oregon and Washington, while John McCain is favored in Arizona, Idaho, Utah and Texas. Nevada, which voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004, may turn to Obama if Bob Barr manages to pull enough votes from McCain.

===Other Important Swing States===
Moreover, it is very important for republicans to hold Ohio and Florida. Fortunately, both states have tended to lean republican in the last two presidential elections. Although Florida was disputed in election 2000, it went to Bush undeniably in 2004. Virginia will also be heavily contested this year.

== General Strategy ==

McCain's team wants to convince the electorate of the long-term leadership and experience that John McCain has shown in two decades of government service while emphasizing the relative untested nature of Barak Obama.

Obama's team wants to convince the electorate that Obama is the candidate of fresh ideas while downplaying his relative inexperience compared to the more seasoned McCain. When possible, McCain is lumped together with George Bush, an unpopular President.

===Republican Strategy===
With more limited funding than his Democratic rival, McCain favors open town hall meetings to attract the greatest number of people. He is focusing his advertising on swing states. He has asked for open debates with Obama of the Lincoln-Douglas variety where candidates can talk directly to each other, but this was not accepted by the Democratic camp which prefers the current structured format.

McCain is pushing the idea that he is a proven leader who served his country and as President can be counted on to keep America safe from outside threats. His strongest supporters are the elderly - the group that most wants stability.

McCain chose first-term [[Alaska]] [[Governor]] [[Sarah Palin]] as his Vice Presidential nominee. Her relative inexperience on foreign policy issues undercuts his arguments against his opponent, [[Senator Barack Obama]], on experience, but also works to cut into [[Obama|Obama's]] call for "Change". In addition, McCain has touted [[Palin|Palin's]] record of standing up to the Alaska Republican party when she resigned from an Ethics Commission in protest over a lack of ethics of fellow commissioners, as well as when she ran against, and beat, then-incumbent Governor [[Frank Murkowski]] in the Republican primary in 2006. McCain will continue to tout her as a "maverick" and contrast her record outside of Washington, D.C. to Obama's V.P. nominee, [[Senator Joe Biden]]. Last, by choosing a female running mate, McCain hopes to increase his popularity amongst white women, where he currently trails Obama 43%-42% in a recent NBC/WSJ poll.<ref>[http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/Bringing_in_more_white_women.html?showall Bringing in more white women]</ref> In contrast, [[President Bush]] defeated [[Senator Kerry]] 55%-44% among this electorate in 2004. According to the NBC/WSJ poll, one in three of the undecided voters were white women, and therefore an electorate that is clearly up for grabs.

===Democratic Strategy===
Democrats are confident that the low popularity of [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] and particularly [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]], which John McCain supports, puts them in a highly favorable position for 2008. They have been cautious in the Iraq arena realizing that 'The Surge' worked and they were on the wrong end of that issue. Focus is being put on a timeline for troops coming home, a position that most of the American population favors.

Democats believe it is their race to lose, but also realize they had a good chance to win the last two Presidential elections and came up short each time. General wisdom also states that a poor economy favors Obama, so they will try to point a dire picture in this area. As in past elections, differences between those who have obtained a high income level and those who have not will be emphasized.

Favored by the young, Democrats will try hard to encourage and get out the young vote, a task that has proven more difficult than expected in the last two election cycles. To their advantage, Obama made his vice presidential pick via text message to cell phone numbers registered on the site. The announcement went to 3 million cell phones, a useful database for "Get Out The Vote" (GOTV) efforts, when voters may not be home or reachable on their landline.

As an extension of the DNC's strategy in the 2006 elections, led by [[Howard Dean]], Barack Obama has been working towards a "50-state strategy." The campaign is working to place campaign offices throughout the country with a focus on voter registration. The increase in the rolls of Democratic voters from the primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Obama played out well for the Democrats and puts pressure on Senator McCain even in typically red states, and more specifically, "Lean Republican" states, to use the Cook Political Report's term. In addition, with a fundraising advantage, Obama is airing ads in those tight states forcing McCain to make decisions about whether to use funds to match ads and campaign efforts in those states or rely on historical results that those states will support him and focus funds in traditional toss-up states instead.

==Conventions==

===Democratic National Convention===
[[Image:democraticpartyusalogo.png|right|200px]] The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be held in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], August 25 to August 27 at Pepsi Center. There they will select Senator Obama and his running mate to be the party nominee's. Barack Obama will accept the party's nomination in front of a crowd of more than 75,000 in a free, open event to be held at INVESCO Field at Mile High, in a platform resemblant to a Greek temple. House Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] is the Permanent Chair of the Convention.

The convention had a rocky start as friction between supporters of Obama and the Clintons was not resolved. Instead of Obama getting a bump in the polls, his support actually declined. The Democrats also seemed to be at odds on finding a unifying strategy for how hard to attack John McCain and how to present it. As Democratic pundit James Carville said in an interview on [[CNN]], "If this party has a message, it's done a <heck> of a job hiding it tonight, I promise you that."<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080826/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_convention_rdp</ref>

A bleak convention was turned around by the Clintons. Infighting between Obama and Hillary continued through the day of her speech, but a comprise was reached, and, beyond expectations, she gave a rousing speech for Obama - possibly as an angry response to McCain's latest ad that showed her 'supporting' him. Bill Clinton the next night also praised Obama, something that he failed to effectively do in 2000 for Al Gore when he centered on his accomplishments and gave little more than lip service to Gore with statements amounting to 'and Al Gore was there too'. The convention, possibly remembering that, gave him the topic he was to speak on instead of choosing his own. Clinton was angered, but it worked. He came through. By the time Obama spoke on the last night, the theme that was missing at first was clear, and Obama mixed a message of attacking McCain with the need for change and even outlining some expensive programs that would appeal to the target populace who has been lukewarm to him. From a political point of view, the convention did what it was supposed to.

===Convention Schedule===

'''Monday 8/25 (Theme: One Nation):'''

* Former President [[Jimmy Carter]]
* [[Speaker of the House]] [[Nancy Pelosi]], D-[[California]]
* Congressman [[Jesse Jackson, Jr.]], D-[[Illinois]]
* Mayor John Hickenlooper, D-[[Denver]]
* Senator [[Amy Klobuchar]], D-[[Minnesota]]
* Mayor Manny Diaz, D-[[Miami]]
* Illinois state leaders Alexi Giannoulis, Dan Hynes, Lisa Madigan
* Tom Balanoff from Illinois SEIU
* [[National Education Association]] (NEA) President Reg Weaver
* AFT President Randi Weingarten
* [[NARAL Pro-Choice America]] President Nancy Keenan
* Senator [[Claire McCaskill]], D-Missouri
* Former State Representative Lee Hamilton, D-[[Indiana]]
* Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle
* Maya Soetoro-Ng - Barack Obama's half-sister
* Jerry Kellman - "Mentor and long-time friend of Barack Obama"

'''Tuesday 8/26 (Theme: Renewing America's Promise):'''

* Senator [[Patrick Leahy]], D-[[Vermont]]
* Governor [[Joe Manchin]], D-[[West Virginia]], Chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association
* Governor [[Chet Culver]], D-[[Iowa]]
* [[California]] State Controller John Chiang
* Change to Win’s Anna Burger
* [[AFL-CIO]] President John Sweeney
* [[Planned Parenthood of America]] President Cecile Richards.
* Pay Equity pioneer Lilly Ledbetter
* Governor [[Brian Schweitzer]], D-[[Montana]]
* Governor [[Deval Patrick]], D-[[Massachusetts]]
* Governor [[Kathleen Sebelius]], D-[[Kansas]]
* Governor [[Janet Napolitano]], D-[[Arizona]]
* Governor [[Jim Doyle]], D-[[Wisconsin]]
* Governor [[Ed Rendell]], D-[[Pennsylvania]]
* Governor [[Ted Strickland]], D-[[Ohio]]
* Governor [[David Paterson]], D-[[New York]]
* Senator [[Bob Casey, Jr.]], D-[[Pennsylvania]]
* Former Secretary of Energy and Transportation Federico Peña
* House Majority Leader [[Steny Hoyer]], D-[[Maryland]]
* House Democratic Caucus Chair [[Rahm Emanuel]], D-[[Illinois]]
* Representative [[Xavier Becerra]] (D-California), Assistant to the Speaker of the House;
* Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair [[Chris Van Hollen]]
* Representatives [[Nydia Velazquez]] (D-[[New York]])
* Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
* Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
* Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)
* Mike Honda (D-CA)
* Senator and former Presidential candidate [[Hillary Clinton]] (D-NY)
* Former Governor [[Mark Warner]] (D-VA)--Keynote Speaker

'''Wednesday 8/27 (Theme: Securing America's Future): '''

* Former President [[Bill Clinton]]
* Governor [[Bill Richardson]], D-[[New Mexico]]
* Senator [[John Kerry]], D-[[Massachusetts]]
* Former Senate Minority Leader [[Tom Daschle]], D-[[South Dakota]]
* Senator [[Jack Reed]], D-[[Rhode Island]]
* Mayor [[Richard Daley]], D-[[Chicago]]
* Senator [[Evan Bayh]], D-[[Indiana]]
* Senator [[Joe Biden]], D-[[Delaware]]
* Senator [[Jay Rockefeller]], D-[[West Virginia]]
* Senate Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]], D-[[Nevada]]
* Senator [[Ken Salazar]], D-[[Colorado]]
* House Majority Whip [[James E. Clyburn]], D-[[South Carolina]]
* Congressman [[Robert Wexler]] (D-[[Florida]])

'''Thursday 8/28 (Theme: Change You Can Believe In):'''

* [[Colorado]] [[Governor]] [[Bill Ritter]]
* Former Vice President [[Al Gore]]
* Presidential nominee [[Barack Obama]]

===Republican National Convention===
[[Image:Cjjfdjfty.png|200px|right|"Republican Party Elephant" logo]] The 2008 Republican National Convention will be held in [[Saint Paul]], [[Minnesota]] from September 1 ([[Labor Day]]) until September 4. The presumptive nominee will be Senator McCain. The location has political significance in that [[Minnesota]] will likely be a close state during the general election, as will it's neighboring states [[Wisconsin]] and [[Iowa]].

The convention had to be rescheduled due to the upcoming landfall of [[Hurricane Gustav]]. The first day almost entirely focused on raising money for Hurricane relief. It is expected that the convention will stick to it's original schedule for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

===Convention Schedule===

'''Monday 9/1 (Theme: Service):'''

*RNC Chairman Mike Duncan

*[[First Lady]] [[Laura Bush]]

*[[Cindy McCain]]

'''Tuesday 9/2 (Theme: Reform):'''
*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]], Keynote speaker

*Governor Jon Huntsman, R-[[Utah]]

*Governor [[Linda Lingle]], R-[[Hawaii]]

*Governor [[Sarah Palin]], R-[[Alaska]]

*Former Gov. [[Mike Huckabee]], R-[[Arkansas]]

*Former Gov. and Homeland Security Secretary [[Tom Ridge]], R-[[Pennsylvania]]

*Former Lt. Governor [[Michael Steele]], R-[[Maryland]]

*Senator [[Tom Coburn]], R-[[Oklahoma]]

*Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-[[Tennessee]]

*House Minority Leader [[John Boehner]], R-[[Ohio]]

*Congressman Marsha Blackburn, R-[[Tennessee]]

*Congressman Luis Fortuño, R-[[Puerto Rico]]

*Congressman Adam Putnam, R-[[Florida]]

*State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-[[California]]

*Rosario Marin, California Secretary of the State

*Chris Collins

*Carolyn Dunn

*Phil Hayes

*Lisa Keegan

*Ruth Novodor

*Dr. Elena Rios

*Shirley Sadler

*Joe Watkins

'''Wednesday 9/3 (Theme: Prosperity):'''

*[[Cindy McCain]]

*Republican Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee

*Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], R-[[Louisiana]]

*Former Gov. [[Mitt Romney]], R-[[Massachusetts]]

*Senator [[Norm Coleman]], R-[[Minnesota]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]], R-[[Texas]]

*Congressman [[Mike Pence]], R-[[Indiana]]

*Mayor Mick Cornett, R-Oklahoma City

*State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-[[California]]

*Carly Fiorina, Victory ‘08 Chairman for the RNC, former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co.

*Meg Whitman, National Co-Chair for McCain 2008 and former President and CEO of [[eBay]]

*Renee Amoore*

*Anne Beiler*

*Jessica Colon*

*Christy Swanson*

*Raul “Danny” Vargas*

'''Thursday 9/4 (Theme: Peace):'''

*[[John McCain]]

*Governor [[Charlie Crist]], R-[[Florida]]

*Governor [[Tim Pawlenty]], R-[[Minnesota]]

*Senator [[Sam Brownback]], R-[[Kansas]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]], R-[[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Mel Martinez]], R-[[Florida]]

*Former Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]], R-[[Tennessee]]

*Congressman Mary Fallin, R-[[Oklahoma ]]

*Michael Williams, Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission

*David Flau

*Christopher Fussner

*Lt. General Carol Mutter, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

*Charlie Smith

==Debates==
===Presidential Debates===
There will be three presidential debates for the 2008 election season. The first debate will be held on September 26th, at the University of Mississippi. The topic for the debate is "Foreign Policy & National Security" and will be moderated by Jim Lehrer. The debate will be a podium debate, broken into 9 nine-minute segments. The moderator will introduce a topic, and then each candidate will have 2 minutes to comment. Following their answers, there will be 5 minutes of open discussion on the topic, facilitated by the moderator.

The second debate will be held on October 7th, at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. The moderator will be Tom Brokaw, and the debate will be in a town hall-style. The questions will come from audience members and the Internet, as chosen by the moderator. After each question, the candidates will have two minutes each to respond, as well as a one-minute followup to the opposing candidate's response.

The final debate will be held on October 15th, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. The topic for the debate is "Domestic and Economic Policy" and will be moderated by Bob Schieffer. The candidates will be seated at a table, as opposed to behind a podium, and the format will follow that of the first debate. In addition, though, the candidates will be given an opportunity to present a 90-second closing argument.

===Vice Presidential Debate===
There will be one vice presidential debate held on October 2nd, at Washington University in Saint Louis, MO. The debate will be moderated by Gwen Ifill, with a format to be determined after the vice presidential nominees have been selected.

==Third parties and Independents==
===Libertarian party===
The [[Libertarian Party]] selected former Representative [[Bob Barr]] of [[Georgia]] as its 2008 presidential candidate on May 25, 2008.<ref>http://www.lpconvention.org/</ref> Former Democratic candididate [[Mike Gravel]] sought the Libertarian nomination but lost to Barr.<ref> http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/25/libertarians-pick-barr-as-presidential-nominee/ </ref>

Barr has, on his campaign website, linked to a proposed Libertarian strategy laid out by a member of his campaign staff. Although Barr has not officially claimed this as his strategy, the link appears to be a tacit endorsement. The strategy is called the "gold states" strategy. Instead of waging a 50-state campaign with the aim of securing 270 electoral votes and an outright electoral college win, Barr would focus on about 18-20 states where neither Obama or McCain has strong support. Winning that number of states could net Barr from 180-200 electoral votes, and would exceed either Obama or McCain's number and prevent either of them from reaching 270. Under US Constitution Amendment 12, with no candidate having an electoral vote majority, the election would be thrown into the House of Representatives, which would have to choose the president from the top three electoral vote getters. At this stage, Barr could argue that as the top electoral vote recipient, he should become the President, and might draw support from conservative Democrats displeased with Obama's positions, and from Republicans who dislike McCain.

Although winning the largest number of electoral votes would assist Barr in making such an argument, it is not absolutely necessary. Given the close divide in the electoral vote in the 2000 and 2004 elections, Barr could throw the vote into the House by winning a handful of states to garner perhaps 15-20 electoral votes.

The House of Representatives currently has a Democratic majority, but it is important to note that under the US Constitution Amendment 12, the vote is not a straight vote of the members of the House. Instead, each ''State'' gets one single vote, and that vote is determined by the members from that State. Although many large states like California and New York have large Democratic majorities, these will be balanced by the many smaller Southern and Midwestern states with Republican majorities. A handful of states have an even number of House members, and are split down the middle for control.

===Constitution Party===
The [[Constitution Party]] held its convention in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 24 through April 27. The party nominated Pastor [[Chuck Baldwin]] over former U.N. Ambassador and Republican presidential candidate [[Alan Keyes]].<ref> http://www.constitutionparty.com/news.php?aid=751 </ref>

===Green Party===
[[Cynthia McKinney]], who was defeated in her bid for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives after voting against the [[Iraq War]] and being arrested on battery charges after striking a Capitol Hill police officer, won the [[environmentalist]] [[Green Party]]'s nomination for president at the party convention July 12, 2008. Running for Vice President on the Green ticket is "Hip-Hop activist and journalist" Rosa Clemente.<ref>http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=79</ref>

===Independents===
[[Ralph Nader]] announced his independent candidacy for president on February 24, 2008, to focus on "stem[ming] corporate crime and Pentagon waste and promot[ing] labor rights", issues he feels are ignored by the main parties.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Feb24/0,4670,APNader,00.html</ref> His [[running mate]] is former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors [[Matt Gonzalez]].<ref>http://www.votenader.org/about/matt-gonzalez/</ref>

New York City Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]] has been frequently mentioned as a possible independent candidate for the 2008 presidential election and fueled that speculation when he left the Republican Party in June 2007. However, he declared in a February 28, 2008, op-ed article in ''The New York Times'', "I am not—and will not be—a candidate for president," but added that "[i]f a candidate takes an independent, nonpartisan approach—and embraces practical solutions that challenge party orthodoxy—I’ll join others in helping that candidate win the White House."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/opinion/28mike.html?_r=1&oref=slogin "I'm Not Running for President, but..."]</ref>

==Historical Information==

===Withdrawn Republican Party Candidates===
Senator [[Sam Brownback]], [[Kansas]], withdrew October 19, 2007, citing a lack of funding.<ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ifK7vLWH4aU4urzB-4bSX1u4QF9QD8SC0EI00</ref> Brownback also had done poorly at key conservative milestones, such as the [[Value Voters Debate]].<ref>http://www.valuesvoterdebate.com/pollresults.cfm, Brownback lost sizably to [[Mike Huckabee]].</ref> He endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]].

Former Governor [[Jim Gilmore]], [[Virginia]], withdrew July 14, 2007

Former Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani|Rudolph Giuliani]], [[New York City]] He withdrew after a defeat in [[Florida]], on which he had depended on heavily. He endorsed John McCain afterwards.

Former Governor [[Mike Huckabee]], [[Arkansas]]. He withdrew from the race once McCain received the 1,191 delegates needed to win the nomination. He also promised to support McCain as the nominee, thus giving his endorsement to him.

Representative [[Duncan Hunter]], [[California]] 52nd, withdrew January 19, 2008 and endorsed Governor Mike Huckabee.

Representative [[Ron Paul]], [[Texas]] 14th, withdrew June 12, 2008.

Former Governor [[Mitt Romney]], [[Massachusetts]], suspended his campaign after poor showings on [[Super Tuesday]] and later endorsed John McCain.

Representative [[Tom Tancredo]], [[Colorado]] 6th, withdrew December 20, 2007. He endorsed fmr. Governor [[Mitt Romney]] of [[Massachusetts]].

Former Senator [[Fred Thompson]], [[Tennessee]]. He endorsed [[John McCain]] of Arizona.

Former Governor and HS Secretary [[Tommy Thompson]], withdrew August 12, 2007. He endorsed fmr. Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] of [[New York]].

===Potential Republican Candidates Who Declined to Run===
*Former Senator [[George Allen]], Virginia - endorsed Fred Thompson.
*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]], [[Florida]] - endorsed John McCain.
*[[Vice President]] [[Dick Cheney]]
*Former Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]], Tennessee
*Former [[Speaker of the House]] [[Newt Gingrich]], [[Georgia]]
*Senator [[Chuck Hagel]], [[Nebraska]]
*Former Governor [[George Pataki]], New York
*[[Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]]
*Governor [[Mark Sanford]], [[South Carolina]]
*Former Senator [[Rick Santorum]], [[Pennsylvania]]

===Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate===
[[Image:Sarah Palin.jpg|thumb|left|100px|thumb]]
*Governor [[Sarah Palin]] of [[Alaska]].

=== Withdrawn Democratic Party candidates ===

Senator [[Joseph Biden]], [[Delaware]]<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/04/chris-dodd-abandons-presidential-campaign-after-poor-showing-in-iowa/ </ref> He withdrew after a disappointing finish in the [[Iowa Caucus]].

Senator [[Hillary Clinton]], [[New York]] Suspended her campaign after Obama reached the number of needed delegates. She endorsed him shortly afterwards.

Senator [[Chris Dodd]], [[Connecticut]]<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/04/chris-dodd-abandons-presidential-campaign-after-poor-showing-in-iowa/</ref> He withdrew after a disappointing finish in the [[Iowa Caucus]] and later endorsed Senator [[Barack Obama]].

Former Senator [[John Edwards]], [[North Carolina]]. He withdrew after losing in all of the early primary states. He later endorsed Senator Obama after Obama won the North Carolina primary.

Former Senator [[Mike Gravel]], [[Alaska]]. He withdrew to seek the Libertarian party nomination (which he lost to Bob Barr.) He also endorsed Green Party Candidate, Jesse Johnson. <ref> http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/03/12/democratic-candidate-gravel-endorses-green-party-presidential-hopeful/ </ref>

Representative [[Dennis Kucinich]], [[Ohio]] 10th<ref> http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/24/kucinich-drops-presidential-bid/ </ref> He withdrew to keep his seat in the House of Representatives.

Governor [[Bill Richardson]], [[New Mexico]]<ref>
[http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/09/ap-bill-richardson-drops-out-of-democratic-presidential-race/ AP: Bill Richardson Drops Out of Democratic Presidential Race], [[Associated Press]], [[Fox News Channel]], January 9, 2008</ref> He withdrew after twin fourth-place finishes (in Iowa and New Hampshire) that showed his credentials could not compete with his rivals’ star power. He later endorsed Senator Obama.

Former Governor [[Tom Vilsack]], Iowa. He endorsed [[Hillary Clinton]] of [[New York]]

===Potential Democratic Candidates Who Declined to Run===
*Senator [[Evan Bayh]], [[Indiana]] - endorsed Hillary Clinton
*[[General]] [[Wesley Clark]] (Ret.) - endorsed Hillary Clinton
*Former Senate Minority Leader [[Tom Daschle]], [[South Dakota]]
*Former Governor and current DNC Chairman [[Howard Dean]], [[Vermont]]
*Senator [[Russ Feingold]], [[Wisconsin]]
*Former Vice President [[Al Gore]], [[Tennessee]]
*Senator [[John Kerry]], Massachusetts - endorsed Barack Obama
*Rev. [[Al Sharpton]]
*Former Governor [[Mark Warner]], [[Virginia]]

===Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate===
On August 23rd, Senator Barack Obama announced, via text message to 3 million cell phone numbers of his supporters, his nomination of Joseph Biden to Vice President.
[[Image:06 biden.gif|thumb|left|100px|Joseph Biden]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

==Primaries and Caucuses==
===Iowa Caucus: January 3, 2008===
The first caucus in the 2008 presidential election cycle was the [[Iowa Caucus]]. The Democratic winner of the Iowa caucus was [[Barack Obama]], who managed to beat national frontrunner [[Hillary Clinton]] and former [[North Carolina]] Senator, [[John Edwards]]. The official results were:
{| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Iowa caucus results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| Barack Obama
| 38%
|-
| John Edwards
| 30%
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 29%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 2%
|-
| Joseph Biden
| 1%
|-
|}
Other candidates such as, [[Chris Dodd]], [[Dennis Kucinich]] and [[Mike Gravel]] did not gain a significant percentage. Because of the Iowa results, [[Barack Obama]] was expected now to beat [[Hillary Clinton]] in the upcoming [[New Hampshire]] primary. Also, [[Joe Biden]] and [[Chris Dodd]] both withdrew from the race because of their low showings in the Iowa caucus.

On the Republican side, [[Mike Huckabee]] defeated [[Mitt Romney]] by an even closer margin. The results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP Iowa caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 34%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 25%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 13%
|-
| John McCain
| 13%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 10%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 3%
|}

Candidates such as [[Duncan Hunter]], [[Alan Keyes]] and [[John H. Cox]] didn't come out with a significant percentage. Romney's loss in [[Iowa]] set him back in the upcoming primary in [[New Hampshire]]. Huckabee's win however gave him surge in [[New Hampshire]] where he had before been very low in the polls. McCain's unexpected high showing in Iowa also gave him a little boost in New Hampshire.

===New Hampshire Primary: January 8, 2008===
The next milestone after the Iowa caucus was the New Hampshire primary. (Only the Republican Wyoming primary occurred on January 5, which was won by Romney.) On the Republican side, Mitt Romney's defeat in Iowa helped his most significant opponent, John McCain. Huckabee's victory in Iowa helped boost his campaign and gave him a higher showing than even he had expected. On the Democratic side, Obama's defeat of Clinton and Edwards led to the polls usually predicting a Obama victory in New Hampshire.
The winner for the Republicans was John McCain and for the Democrats Hillary Clinton. The Democratic results were:

{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. NH primary results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 39%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 36%
|-
| John Edwards
| 17%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 5%
|-
| Dennis Kucinich
| 1%
|}

Hillary Clinton's win was a setback for Obama and much-needed victory for Clinton. The polls reliability was most hurt with these results. (Mike Gravel didn't reach a significant percentage.)
The Republican results were:

{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP NH primary results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 37%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 31%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 11%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 9%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 8%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 1%
|-
| Duncan Hunter
| 1%
|}

These results put the very survival of Mitt Romney on the line and intensified the upcoming Michigan primary. John McCain's victory helped boost his campaign and he predicted to go on to victory in Michigan and South Carolina. Huckabee also did well and placed an unusual third place.

===Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina===
Romney's second-place defeat in Iowa and New Hampshire, caused his campaign to focus all its attention on the Michigan Primary on January 15th. He managed to defeat his rivals, John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
Since the Democrats had taken Michigan's delegates away, most of the candidates didn't even bother to get on the ballot. Clinton won easily, because she was one of the only major candidates to be even on the ballot.
Romney and the Democrats turned their attention to the Nevada caucus, while Republicans John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson looked to the South Carolina primary. (The Republicans had the South Carolina primary on the same day as the Nevada caucus, January 19th.)
The Democratic results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Nevada caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! Percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 51%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 45%
|-
| John Edwards
| 4%
|}

Hillary Clinton probably won because of her strong position on the Yucca Mountain issue, which was critical to Democratic caucus goers.
Romney easily won the Republican Nevada caucus, probably because it is close to Utah, a traditionally Mormon state. Duncan Hunter had been hoping for a strong finish in Nevada and decided to leave the race, because of his poor showings.

{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP SC caucus results
|-
! Candidate
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 33%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 30%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 16%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 15%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 4%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 2%
|}

McCain’s victory in South Carolina propelled him as the national front-runner. Mike Huckabee’s 2nd place defeat forced him to cut back in expenses due to lack of funds. Fred Thompson’s defeat was irreparable and he withdrew from the race shortly afterwards

The Democrats prepared for the primary in South Carolina on January 26th. Obama won the primary by a huge margin over Clinton and Edwards. This was a severe loss for Edwards since he had been born in South Carolina and was Senator for North Carolina. Obama probably won because of the state’s huge black population.

===Florida Primary: January 29, 2008===
Because Florida moved its date to January 29th the Democratic party stripped Florida of its delegates and the candidates agreed not to campaign there.
The Democratic results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ Dem. Florida primary results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| Hillary Clinton
| 50%
|-
| Barack Obama
| 33%
|-
| John Edwards
| 14%
|-
| Joe Biden
| 1%
|-
| Bill Richardson
| 1%
|-
| Dennis Kucinich
| 1%
|}
Florida was the last early primary state and after his loss, John Edwards suspended his campaign. (Although they had withdrawn, candidates Biden, Richardson and Kucinich still received votes. Mike Gravel didn't receive a percentage.)
The Republicans concentrated on Florida more than the Democrats, because the Republican party chose to remove only half of their delegates. Candidate [[Rudy Giuliani]] chose to ignore earlier primaries, hoping that a large win in Florida, with its strong transplanted New Yorkers contingent, would propel him to the nomination. Unfortunately, with earlier wins, John McCain and Mitt Romney both gained momentum and began to lead Giuliani in the polls.
The Republican results were:
{| {| style="background:white; color:red" border="1" class="wikitable"
|+ GOP Florida primary results
|-
! candidates
! percentage
|-
| John McCain
| 36%
|-
| Mitt Romney
| 31%
|-
| Rudy Giuliani
| 15%
|-
| Mike Huckabee
| 13%
|-
| Ron Paul
| 3%
|-
| Fred Thompson
| 1%
|}

The results caused Giuliani to exit the race the next day and endorse the primary winner, John McCain. (Although Fred Thompson had withdrawn he got some support anyway.)

===Super Tuesday: February 5, 2008===
Super Tuesday held the largest number of presidential primary's and caucuses. Twenty-four states were held for one or both parties were held on this date.

*The Democratic results were:
*Candidates
*Hillary Clinton, 9 states won, ([[American Samoa]], [[Arizona]], [[Arkansas]], [[California]], [[Massachusetts]], [[New Jersey]], [[New Mexico]], [[New York]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Tennessee]].) Number of delegates won, 826.
*Barack Obama, 13 states won, ([[Alabama]], [[Alaska]], [[Colorado]], [[Connecticut]], [[Delaware]], [[Georgia]], [[Idaho]], [[Illinois]], [[Kansas]], [[Minnesota]], [[Missouri]], [[North Dakota]], [[Utah]].) Number of delegates won, 838.

*GOP Super Tuesday primary results
*John McCain, 9 states won, (Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma). Number of delegates won: 602.
*Mitt Romney, 7 states won, (Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah). Number of delegates won: 201.
*Mike Huckabee, 5 states won, (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia). Number of delegates won: 152.
*Ron Paul, 0 states won. Number of delegates won: 10

===February 9th Primaries===
The next major primary after Super Tuesday was on February 9, 2008. The Democrats held contests in [[Louisiana]], [[Nebraska]] & [[Washington]]. The Republicans held three other contests in [[Kansas]], [[Louisiana]] & [[Washington]].
Governor Huckabee won Kansas and Louisiana, but lost to McCain in Washington by a close margin. Barrack Obama won all three Democratic contests, and also won the Maine caucus, the next day on February 10th.

===Potomac Primary: February 12, 2008===
The next primary-date was the Potomac primary on February 12. It is called that because the three states; [[District of Columbia]], [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]], which all were near the Potomac River, had their primary date on the same date. John McCain won all three Republican contests, while Barrack Obama won all of the Democratic contests.

===Super Tuesday 2: March 4, 2008===
After Obama won his 11th consecutive victory on the February 19th primaries in [[Wisconsin]] and [[Hawaii]], Clinton was desperate to win the March 4th primaries in [[Ohio]], [[Texas]], [[Rhode Island]] & [[Vermont]]. Huckabee also needed more victories to prevent McCain from reaching the needed 1,191 delegates for the Republican nomination.

Clinton won all of the states except for Vermont, which Obama won. McCain won all of the primaries, causing Governor Huckabee to leave the race that evening.

===Pennsylvania Primary===
After Clinton's victories on Super Tuesday 2, both Democrats looked ahead to the Pennsylvania primary on April 22nd. Obama lost some popularity after video clips were shown of his Pastor, Rev. [[Jeremiah Wright]], saying "God damn America!" during a sermon. Obama also commented about people bitterly clinging to guns and religion because they were upset with Washington policies. Clinton beat Obama by 9 percentage points, continuing the long drawn-out contest between the two. John McCain was able to easily win the primary as the Republican party's presumptive nominee.

===Guam Caucus===
On May 3rd, Guam held its Democratic caucuses. Out of more than 4,500 votes, Senator Obama won by 7 votes. The results gave Obama 2 pledged delegates and Senator Clinton 2 pledged delegates.

===Indiana and North Carolina Primary===
Both Indiana and North Carolina held their primaries on May 6th. Heading into the primary, registered African American voters reported receiving "robocalls" telling them they were not registered to vote. The calls were traced back to an organization called "Women's Voices Women Vote". The organization included members close to the Clintons. The calls ended with an order from the state Attorney General. Senator Obama proceeded to win the primary with 56.1%.

Leading into the Indiana primary, the polls were very close, with neither candidate leading by more than the polls' margin-of-error. Senator Clinton was looking for a large win to follow up on the Pennsylvania primary, with much the same demographic as PA and Ohio. Senator Obama, though, surprised many in the news media and the Clinton campaign by losing by only a small margin, 50.56% - 49.44%. With the near-split of the delegates in Indiana, combined with his win in North Carolina, the media began to declare Senator Obama as the nominee, although he had not yet reached the necessary delegate count.

===West Virginia Primary===
With a strong working-class demographic, Senator Clinton was expected to win the West Virginia primary on May 13th. Polls leading into the primary had her up 29 points on Senator Obama. The final vote tally exceeded the polls, with Senator Clinton winning 66.99% - 25.67%.

===Oregon and Kentucky Primaries===
The Oregon primary was a mail-only primary--the only such primary in the nation. Democratic voters received ballots in the mail between May 2nd and May 6th, and had to be received by county election officials by May 20th. Polling leading up to the primary showed Senator Obama with a 10-15% lead over Senator Clinton. Obama held a rally on May 18th at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland which drew an estimated 72,000 people. It was the largest rally Obama had held, more than doubling the 35,000 that came out to see him in Pennsylvania. By the end of the vote tally, Obama had won the state primary 58.5% - 40.5%.

The Kentucky primary, held the same day, was long believed a lock for Senator Clinton. The voter demographic mirrored the West Virginia primary, with a heavy working-class population. Senator Clinton easily won the primary, 65.5% - 29.9%. The large win, though, was drowned out in the media by Senator Obama's win in Oregon, and more importantly, by the endorsement of Senator Obama by former opponent and former vice presidential candidate, John Edwards.

===Puerto Rico Primary===
With Clinton behind in both pledged and superdelegates at this point in the race, every primary and delegate became even more important to forestall Obama reaching the necessary number of delegate to clinch the nomination. Clinton's strategy was to win out the primaries and work to convince superdelegates to support her nomination at the party convention as the best chance to beat McCain. Thus Puerto Rico, usually an afterthought in previous elections, rated visits by both candidates before the June 1st primary. Heading into the primary, Clinton led in two polls by 13% each time. The results beat poll expectations, with Clinton winning the primary 67.7% - 31.27%.

===Montana and South Dakota Democratic Primaries===
The last Democratic primaries were held on June 3rd. Senator Obama needed to win one of the primaries, and merely come close in the other to clinch the nomination. In Montana, Obama got the win he needed, defeating Senator Clinton 56.3%-41.25%. In South Dakota, Senator Clinton won, but with a close enough margin to give Obama the final delegates necessary. The result of the primary was 55.35% - 44.65%. Senator Obama was in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the site of the Republican Nominating Convention, to accept the party's unofficial nomination. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtL-1V3OZ0c Barack Obama Democratic Nomination Victory Speech]</ref>

==See Also==
[[Previous Breaking News/2008 Presidential Election|Articles about the '''2008 Presidential Election''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

== References ==
<references/>

{{2008 presidential candidates}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2008, United States presidential election,}}
[[Category: United States]]
[[Category:United States Presidential Elections]]

Talk:Species

2008-09-02T20:00:57Z

JohnI:

Species

2008-09-02T19:59:37Z

JohnI: Removed unneeded allusions

A '''species''' is a group of living beings or organisms having sufficient genetic similarity to be able to produce fertile offspring.<ref>A group of organisms belong to the same biological species if they are capable of producing fertile offspring. [http://www.biochem.northwestern.edu/holmgren/Glossary/Definitions/Def-S/species.html Holgrem Lab], Northwestern University, Illinois </ref>

For example, a [[tiger]] and a [[clam]] are different species, because they cannot produce offspring. A [[German Shepherd]] and a [[Beagle]] can produce offspring, because they are different breeds within one species.

However, the definition of "species" has changed over time and is sometimes problematic.
For example, there are cases where two species are not capable of interbreeding, but each is capable of interbreeding with a third species.<ref name="spark">[http://www.sparknotes.com/biology/evolution/speciation/section1.html Speciation] (SparkNotes)</ref>
Additionally, a "species" is sometimes defined in such a way that groups of creatures that do not ''naturally'' interbreed (perhaps because of geological isolation) are classified as separate species despite the fact that they ''can'' interbreed.<ref name="spark"/>
Furthermore, many extinct species known only from fossils have been given species names, despite the impossibility of determining their capability of interbreeding.

==The origin of species==

[[Linnaeus]] originally intended "species" to refer to the biblical creation "[[baramin|kinds]]", but the modern definitions of species do not match the biblical kinds.
Nevertheless, many Christians and many evolutionists believe that the idea of new species developing is inconsistent with the Bible.
However, creationary scientists accept that speciation has been observed, although they deny that speciation can lead to the development of completely new features as predicted by evolutionists.

In 2008, a team of researchers lead by Richard Lenski captured the most dramatic example of species adaptation in a Laboratory setting. After over 33,000 generations a strain of E. coli bacteria evolved the ability to metabolize citrate. This event was particularly significant as the inability to metabolize citrate was one of the defining characteristics of E. Coli.<ref>https://myxo.css.msu.edu/ecoli/overview.html</ref>

[[Charles Darwin]] wrote ''The Origin of Species'' {{years ago | 1859}} years ago, hoping to account for the diversity of plant and animal life with an entirely [[naturalistic]] explanation (see [[Theory of evolution]]).

==Ring Species==
This is a phenomenon which occurs when a contiguous lineage ancestors co-exist at the same time. Unlike most species whose direct ancestral species are now extinct, the ancestral species of a ring species still survive. The existence of ring species make it more difficult to define what a species is. For example, A can breed with B can breed with C can breed with D... however D cannot breed with A. The most prominent example of a ring species is the Larus Gull which resides in the north Atlantic. Neighboring species interbreed counter-clockwise around the arctic, however this ability to interbreed terminates near Britain with the Herring Gull and Lesser Black-Backed Gull.<ref>Harrison, Peter (1988): Seabirds (2nd ed.). Christopher Helm, London ISBN 0-7470-1410-8</ref>

==Note==
<references/>

==See also==
*[[Biological classification]]
*[[Baraminology]]

[[category:biology]]

User:JohnI

2008-09-02T17:59:53Z

JohnI: New page: Hi, I am new here, but I left Wikipedia owing to their strong insistance that evolution is right. I find it worth noting that I heard about this site through Wikipedia, hence, I am now her...

Hi, I am new here, but I left Wikipedia owing to their strong insistance that evolution is right. I find it worth noting that I heard about this site through Wikipedia, hence, I am now here.

Liberal bias

2008-09-02T17:58:36Z

JohnI:

'''Liberal bias''' is partisan support for [[liberal]] positions or policies. This bias pervades encyclopedias, periodicals and [[broadcast media]], and the Internet. It is expressed by reporters and other journalists in mainstream media and by teachers in [[public school]] and in many private schools.{{fact}} It includes techniques such as [[placement bias]], [[photo bias]] and [[liberal style]]. There is a difference between being liberal, having a liberal perspective, and having a liberal bias.


Such a bias could manifest itself as one or more of the following:
*political correctness
*a tendency to exaggerate and deceive to attract attention 
*a reliance on obscenity to attract attention 
*an attempt to be consistent by treating men and women alike
*an obsession with race where images are used
*An unwillingness to admit they are wrong. See [[evoultion]]
 

==The  Media Confronts Liberal Bias==
[[Ann Coulter]] wrote:
*To obscure the overwhelming liberal dominance of the media, the few designated media "[[conservatives]]" are cited tirelessly in testimonies to the [[ideological]] diversity in the nation's [[newsroom]]s. Democrats in the media are [[editors]], national [[correspondent]]s, [[news anchor]]s, and [[reporter]]s. Republicans in the media are "from the right" [[polemic]]ists grudgingly tolerated within the liberal behemoth. Republican views must be accompanied by a conspicuous warning: "[[Partisan]] Conservative Opinion Coming!" [[Neutral]] news slots are reserved for Democrats exclusively. "Balance" is created by having a liberal host a debate between a liberal and a moderate Republican. <ref>''[[Slander (book)|]]'', P. 60</ref>

Although many prominent liberal journalists and teachers deny being biased - or indeed that liberal bias exists at all in the media - same have freely admitted it (e.g., [[Andy Rooney]]).{{fact}}

[[New York Times]] publisher [[Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr.]] has denied the the New York Times has a [[liberal]] viewpoint and has stated the New York Times has an "urban" viewpoint.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/25/weekinreview/25bott.html?ei=5088&en=452926dcb11511a3&ex=1248667200&pagewanted=all&position=</ref> However, in the summer of 2004, the newspaper's then public editor (ombudsman), Daniel Okrent, published a piece on the Times' liberal bias and cited the example of their coverage of [[Homosexuality and Marriage|homosexual marriage]].<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/facts/2007/facts2007914.asp</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/25/weekinreview/25bott.html?ei=5088&en=452926dcb11511a3&ex=1248667200&pagewanted=all&position=</ref> In regards to the [[Western World]], although the New York Times has a particularly heavy bias when it comes to the [[homosexuality]] issue, the New York Times is not unusual in regards to the media having a liberal bias when it comes to the subject of homosexuality; see [[Homosexuality in the Media]]. [[John Stossel]] is an author, consumer reporter, and a co-anchor for the [[ABC News]] show [[20/20]]. [[Cybercast News Service]] states the following regarding regarding the influence of the New York Times and [[Washington Post]]:
{{cquote|While the newspapers reach only a fraction of people compared to the television networks, he said radio and television producers rely heavily on their contents.

"The reason the Times, and to a lesser extent the Post, are so important, and they are, is because the TV and radio - all of the media - copy it sycophantically," he [John Stossel] said. "That's how bias at the Times becomes bias in other media."<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200401/CUL20040128a.html</ref>}}

[[Image:Liberal Bias.png|none|500px]]
'''The following persons, organizations, television programs or media outlets have well known liberal bias:'''

* ''[[The New York Times]]'' <ref>Reporters and editors today are overwhelmingly liberal politically, as studies of the attitudes of key members of the press have repeatedly shown. Should you doubt these findings, recall the statement of Daniel Okrent, then the public editor at the New York Times. Under the headline, "Is the New York times a Liberal Newspaper?," Mr. Okrent's first sentence was, "Of course it is." [http://www.opinionjournal.com/federation/feature/?id=110009203] </ref>
* [[ABC]], [[CBS]] <ref>Townhall.com, [http://www.townhall.com/columnists/MarvinOlasky/2001/12/04/enabling_media_bias Enabling media bias], Marvin Olasky, December 4, 2001.</ref>
* [[Dan Rather]] <ref>During a phone conversation, [[Bernard Goldberg]] asked him, "What do you consider the ''New York Times''? Rather answered, "Middle of the road." (''[[Bias (book)|Bias]]'', page 221)</ref>
* [[CNN]]
* [[NBC]] News
* [[LA Times]]
* [[Michael Moore]]
* [[The Daily Show]]
* [[Real Time]] with [[Bill Maher]]
* The [[United Nations]]
* [[Washington Post]]
* [[MSNBC]]
* [[BBC]]
* [[NPR]]
* [[Associated Press]]
* [[National Academy of Sciences]]

==U.S. Universities==

Liberal bias is rampant in American university campuses. Leftist [[professor values|professors]] dominate the universities.{{fact}} "Because of this slant, it is virtually impossible for political balance in our universities and, as a result, the curriculum, the culture, the values, the atmosphere and the underlying currents of thought resemble indoctrination." <ref>[http://www.thefire.org/pdfs/4134_2453.pdf?PHPSESSID=14d1b6b722914bc403636c401f9792ee Universities' liberal bias is real], Fred Singer, [[Denver Post]], January 29, 2003</ref>

"College faculties are not only mostly liberal, but lean even further to the left than conservatives have imagined."
<ref>[http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/1809 Liberal bias in colleges bleeds into classroom], Cal Thomas, [[Townhall]], March 31, 2005</ref>

"The political tilt on campuses is decidedly to the left. If you're looking for balance, you're not going to find it."
<ref>[http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3514.html Liberal Bias on Campus], John Eberhard, [[Intellectual Conservative]], June 18, 2004</ref>

Even the students admit the liberal bias. "Here at Columbia, as at most top universities, we enjoy belittling conservative beliefs."
<ref>[http://www.columbiaspectator.com/?q=node/27969 Liberal Bias is A-OK], J.D. Porter, Columbia Spectator, November 9, 2007</ref>

==Media==

===Associated Press===

AP has a consistent anti-police bias, for example, referring to "the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day". Their article is designed to create sympathy for a person who talked and acted like he had a [[gun]] and then resisted arrest. The AP account reads more like an [[editorial]] than a straight [[news story]]. It is not until 400 words into the story that you read the judge's reason for acquitting the accused cops. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080425/ap_on_re_us/police_shooting]

AP does a biased piece on GOP VP nominee [[Sarah Palin]]. First paragraph includes ''"the latest in a string of disclosures that left the McCain campaign defending the thoroughness of its background check "''. There isn't a string of disclosures. Everything about her was public with the exception of the pregnant teen daughter. Second paragraph, ''"her husband, Todd, had been arrested for drunken driving two decades ago"'', pathetic tabloid smear. ''"little experience"'', liberal media always ready to drive that message home with Palin, but rigorously defend [[Obama]]'s lack of experience as the real heartbeat-away from the [[Presidency]]. ''"In a brief respite from partisanship, Democratic rival Barack Obama weighed in"'' The [[AP]] should have just wrote- ''Obama, staying high above political mudslinging because he is just that good.''. ''"the pregnancy of Palin's daughter, Bristol, was aimed at rebutting Internet rumors that Palin's own youngest son, born in April, was actually the daughter's."'' AP giving credibility to Obama supporters' [[Daily Kos]]'s gross slander, actually like it so much, repeat twice in the article. "The national convention... already had been relegated to a distant second to the hurricane on TV." AP thinks Americans can care less about the GOP. ''"McCain's team dispatched a dozen operatives and lawyers to Alaska, fueling speculation that a comprehensive examination of Palin's past was incomplete..."'' Rumors masquerading as worthy news with an actual GOP rebuttal cited "Palin underwent a ``full and complete'' review." <ref>[http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/news/story.jsp?floc=DC-top&idq=/ff/story/0001/20080901/2353662008.htm&maxphotos=6&phototerm='bristol+palin'&maxstories=4&storyterm='sarah+palin' Palin says daughter, 17, is 5 months pregnant] AP, September 1, 2008</ref>

===CBS News===
[[Image:Bio-pic.jpg|right|thumb|180px|[[Bernard Goldberg]]]]
CBS insider [[Bernard Goldberg]] wrote the definitive book on liberal bias in the media, simply entitled ''[[Bias (book)|Bias]]''.
*He asserts that an ''"inability to see liberal views as liberal views ... is at the heart of the entire problem."''
*He wrote: "[[Pauline Kael]], for years the brilliant film critic at the ''New Yorker'', was completely baffled about how [[Richard Nixon]] could have beaten [[George McGovern]] in 1972: 'Nobody I know voted for Nixon.' Never mind that Nixon carried 49 states. She wasn't kidding." <ref>(''Bias (book)'', page 222-223)</ref>

Goldberg also suggested liberals don't even see their liberal values as "liberal":
*"Their views on all the big social issues ... aren't liberal views at all. They're simply reasonable views, shared by all the reasonable people the media elites mingle with ..." <ref>(''Bias (book)'', page 222)</ref>

During the [[Vietnam War]], the [[Soviet Union]] was the principal ally of [[Communist ]] North Vietnam, providing weapons and training in what was a major conflict of the [[Cold War]] that took 58,000 American lives.{{fact}} ''CBS Evening News with [[Walter Cronkite]]'' regularly carried news reports from its [[Moscow]] Bureau Chief, [[Bernard Redmont]]. When peace negotiations commenced with North Vietnam in Paris, Redmont became ''CBS News'' [[Paris]] Bureau Chief. What Redmont never reported during the ten year conflict was, Redmont had been a [[KGB]] operative since the 1930s, and member of the notorious [[Silvermaster group]]. <ref>[http://hnn.us/articles/11581.html KGB file 43173 vol. 2 (v) pp. 46-55], Alexander Vassiliev, Notes on A. Gorsky’s Report to Savchenko S.R., 23 December 1949. Original document from KGB Archives [http://www.johnearlhaynes.org/page46.html].</ref> Redmont was the only journalist to whom his fellow [[Comintern]] party member, and North Vietnamese chief negotiator, Mai Van Bo, granted an interview to bring the Communist point of view into American living rooms in what has been called, "the living room war.{{fact}}"

===New York Times===
[[Image:Arthursulzbergerjr.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|[[New York Times]] publisher [[Arthur Sulzberger Jr.]]]]
Peter D. Feaver of the ''[[Boston Globe]]'' noted on the sixth anniversary of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks]] that [[MoveOn.org]] ran a full-page advertisement in the ''[[New York Times]]'' accusing General [[David Petraeus]] of activities befitting a traitor. The advertisement alleges, without [[evidence]], that Petraeus would not give an honest, professional assessment of [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]]. Feaver noted, "The MoveOn.org ad is vicious ... a deliberate attack on the senior Army commander, in a major daily newspaper, with the intention of destroying as much of his [[credibility]] as possible...part of an elaborate effort to undermine public support for the [[Iraq war]], and was foreshadowed by an unnamed [[Democratic]] senator who told a reporter, "No one wants to call [Petraeus] a liar on national TV . . . The expectation is that the outside groups will do this for us." The effort is funded by powerful [[special interest]]s, and has all the trappings of a major political campaign.<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/09/11/moveons_mccarthy_moment/ MoveOn's McCarthy moment], By Peter D. Feaver, ''Boston Globe'', September 11, 2007.</ref> Within a day it was discovered the ''New York Times'' gave MoveOn.org a “hefty discount” for its ad questioning Petraeus’ integrity. According to the director of public relations for the ''New York Times'', “the open rate for an ad of that size and type is $181,692.” A spokesman for MoveOn.org confirmed that the [[liberal activist group]] paid only $65,000 for the ad - a reduction of more than $116,000 from the stated rate.<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/09132007/news/nationalnews/times_gives_lefties_a_hefty_di.htm Time Gives Lefties a Hefty Discount for "Betray us" Ad], Charles Hurt, ''New York Post'', September 13, 2007.</ref>
In July, 2008, the [[New York Times]] rejected an opinion piece written by [[John McCain]], which was responding to earlier piece written by [[Barack Obama]].<ref>http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/07/21/mccain-campaign-says-new-york-times-blocked-op-ed-response-to-obama/</ref> This came after the [[New York Times]] had previously published at least seven op-ed pieces by [[McCain]] since 1996, and endorsed him in the 2008 Republican Presidential primaries. The reason the [[New York Times]] cited for the July 2008 rejection was that they were asking the McCain campaign to provide a more substantive piece which would contrast his positions with the details of the Obama piece on a point-by-point basis.<ref>http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/the-times-and-the-mccain-op-ed/</ref>

===LA Times===

The mainstream media including the LA Times had been guilty of being silent regarding the [[John Edwards]] affair that the National Enquirer had broke in October 2007. The Enquirer followed up with a publication in December of 2007. Then in July 2008, the Enquirer had confronted Edwards at the Beverly Hilton hotel after he spent the entire day with his mistress. After Edwards admitted the affair on Friday August 8th, the mainsteam media finally reported the [[scandal]], including the [[LA Times]]. In an article titled "Mainstream media finally pounce on Edwards' affair", the LA Times declared that they had been pursuing the story prior to Friday. <ref>[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-na-edwardsmedia9-2008aug09,0,7463269.story Mainstream media finally pounce on Edwards' affair] LA Times, August 9, 2008</ref> But they gave no excuse for hiding this from the American public. They have showed their true liberal bias by not reporting the story earlier. Then making an attempt to further fool the public by saying they were pursuing the story, when in fact 10 months had lapsed. Plus, nowhere in the article does it mention the Edwards is a Democrat. To the credit of the LA Times, they do mention that Democratic party strategists say Edwards needs to address the story, at the very bottom of the article. Protection of fellow [[liberal]] [[Democrats]] by the LA Times is more important than being a honest news organization.

=== Media Bias===

A 2005 report<ref>[http://www.polisci.ucla.edu/faculty/groseclose/Media.Bias.pdf A MEASURE OF MEDIA BIAS] </ref> by Tim Groseclose and Jeffrey Milyo political scientists at UCLA concluded that, based on estimated ideological scores, all of the news
outlets they examined, except Fox News’ Special Report and the Washington Times, showed a strong liberal bias (scores to the left of the average member of Congress). Of the 20 major media outlets studied, 18 scored left of center, with CBS' "Evening News," The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times ranking second, third and fourth most liberal behind the news pages of The Wall Street Journal. Only Fox News' "Special Report With Brit Hume" and The Washington Times scored right of the average U.S. voter.
<blockquote>
"I suspected that many media outlets would tilt to the left because surveys have shown that reporters tend to vote more Democrat than Republican," said Tim Groseclose, a UCLA political scientist and the study's lead author. "But I was surprised at just how pronounced the distinctions are." <ref>http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=6664</ref>
</blockquote>

===Name That Party===

The liberal media refuses to identify the political party in their stories when a Democrat is involved in a scandal. Most times it is buried deep within the article so as to remain anonymous to the audience. <ref>[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2008/08/03/name-party-dem-ma-state-senator-charged-sexual-assaults Name That Party: Dem MA State Senator Charged in Sexual Assaults] NewsBusters.org, August 3, 2008</ref> The [[Associated Press]] is the most guilty of this practice but it is in fact modus operandi by all liberal media sources. Compare that with Republican scandals which the liberal media will always includes the party name in its' headlines or within the first sentance or first paragraph.

===Vision of the anointed===
[[Image:Thomassowell.jpg‎|thumbnail|150px|right|[[Thomas Sowell]]]]
Economist [[Thomas Sowell]] in his book published in 1996, ''The Vision of the Anointed'', discusses the anointed vision of liberals and liberalism to promote their agenda, and control the writing of history and the national consciousness.

Desperate evasions of discordant evidence, and the denigration and even demonizing of those presenting such evidence, are indicative of the high stakes in contemporary [[culture war]]s, which are not about alternative policies but [[Values clarification|alternative worlds]] and of alternative roles of liberals in these worlds. Opponents must be shown to be not merely mistaken but [[moral]]ly lacking. This approach replaces the intellectual discussion of arguments by the moral extermination of persons. This denigration or [[demonizing]] of those opposed to their views not only has the desired effect of discrediting the opposition but also has the unintended effect of cutting off the path of retreat from positions which become progressively less tenable with the passage of time and the accumulation of discordant evidence. The very thought that those dismissed as simplistic or maligned might have been right–even if only on a single issue–is at best galling and potentially devastating. Their last refuge in this situation are their good intentions.

For liberals, it is desperately important to win because their whole sense of themselves is at stake. Given the high stakes, it is not hard to understand the all-out attacks of liberals on those who differ from them and their attempts to stifle alternative sources of values and beliefs, with [[Hate speech|campus speech codes]] and ‘[[political correctness]]’ being prime examples of a spreading pattern of [[taboo]]s. Here they are not content to squelch contemporary voices, they must also silence history and traditions–the national memory–as well. This too is a larger danger than the dangers flowing from particular policies.

History is the memory of a nation–and that memory is being erased by historians enthralled by liberalism. Open disdain for mere facts has been accompanied by adventurous reinterpretations known as ‘revisionist’ history. This is all yet another expression of the notion that [[Moral relativism|reality is optional]].

A very similar development in the law treats the Constitution as meaning not what those who wrote it meant, but what one small segment of the public today wants it to mean. This is the ‘[[living constitution]]’ of ‘evolving standards,’ reflecting what ‘thinking people’ believe. The law itself has been prostituted to the service of [[ideological]] crusades. The social cohesion that makes civilized life possible has been loosened by the systematic undermining of families and of commonly shared values and a common culture. <ref>Thomas Sowell, [http://www.li.suu.edu/library/circulation/Lewis/ba2350tlVisionoftheAnointedShortVersion.pdf ''The Vision of the Anointed''], New York: Basic Books, 1996.</ref>

{{Examples of liberal bias}}

==External links==

*[http://www.mediaresearch.org/biasbasics/biasbasics2admissions.asp Media Bias Basics] - Admissions of Liberal Bias

==See Also==
*[[Previous Breaking News/Liberal bias|Examples of liberal bias from previous "Breaking News" articles]]
*[[More News/Liberal Bias|Articles about '''Liberal Bias''' from "More News"]]
*[[Homosexuality and the Media]]
*[[Conservative bias]]
*[[Conservative Links]]

{{liberalism}}
[[category:politics]]
[[Category: Deceit]]
[[Category: Liberals]]