2008 Presidential Election

Likening Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama to a political “trailblazer,” singer Barbra Streisand has become the latest Hollywood celebrity to join the Obama campaign bandwagon, switching from her past support of?Sen. Hillary?Clinton.

“Barack has awakened in many of us the notion that we can again be hopeful, enabling us to believe that we are capable of lifting our brothers and sisters out of poverty, of providing quality education for all our children, of ending this unjust war in Iraq and bringing our troops home safely,” Streisand wrote on Tuesday in a posting on her Web site, http://www.barbrastreisand.com/.

“He’s reminded us ‘yes we can’…we can make the transition from fossil fuels to green energy; we can take care of our elderly and make sure that good healthcare is not just a perk for a few, but a right for every man, woman and child,” she said.?”We are experiencing not just a presidential campaign, but a movement; a movement of inspired young people who have been cynical about politics for too long.”

Since narrowly defeating Clinton?at the end of the U.S. primary elections in June, Obama, a Democrat from Illinois, has picked up numerous endorsements. Clinton,?a U.S. Senator from New York,?has appeared with him in a show of Democratic party unity. Last week, Obama held a fundraiser in Los Angeles that raised some $4 million to $5 million, and several Hollywood stars such as Dennis Quaid and Samuel L. Jackson were there.

Streisand, of course, is a major Hollywood celebrity and fundraiser for Democrats. Yet, celebrity endorsements have a mixed track record in helping candidates, the experts say. Republican candidate Sen. John McCain also?has celebrity endorsements including from actors Sylvester Stallone and Robert Duvall.

Vote to pass a bill that raises taxes on certain oil, investment, and credit companies and increases alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemptions.

THE PRESIDENT: So here’s the thing — I’m going to have a few comments, and then got time for one question apiece. So calibrate your questions. You can do like our press — ask three questions in one question.

President Bush on Wednesday said, “It’s been my honor to welcome a friend, President Talabani, back to the Oval Office. He is the President of a free Iraq. He is a man who’s been on the front lines of helping to unify Iraq and to help Iraq recover from a brutal regime — that of Saddam Hussein. I complimented the President on the progress that the government has made. I complimented the President on the fact that as security has improved, he and his fellow officials are reaching out to all aspects of society to help people realize the blessings of a free life.”

President Bush on Thursday said, “I am honored to join you. I was proud to stand with you in 2002 at the first National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast. Today, I am proud to stand with you for the final time as your sitting President. This happens to be an important event, in my view. It’s an important event because it reminds us that no matter what our status in life might be, that we have a duty to respond to a higher power.”

Vote to invoke cloture on a bill that changes regulations and tax rates related to energy production, sale, and consumption.

Forty years ago today, the United States joined 61 other nations in signing the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Today, almost all nations are party to the Treaty. The NPT represents a key legal barrier to nuclear weapons proliferation and makes a critical contribution to international security. I reaffirm the strong support of the United States for the Treaty and our commitment to work diligently to strengthen it further.

AP - Republicans deemed it beyond the pale when Sen. John McCain crossed the Capitol, set up shop in an office belonging to House Democrats and lobbied wavering lawmakers on legislation to reduce the role of money in politics.

CQPolitics.com - With the defending Republicans facing twists and turns confirming that truth can be stranger than fiction, the Democrats now appear to hold a solid edge in the battle for the seat New York Republican Rep. Vito J. Fossella left open — after the married father of three admitted in May that he has a daughter from an ongoing extramarital relationship.

AP - John McCain denied a Republican colleague’s claim that he roughed up an associate of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on a diplomatic mission in 1987, saying the allegation was “simply not true.”

As John McCain seeks to highlight his support for free trade with Colombia, the role of Charlie Black, a top adviser and former lobbyist who represented a Colombian oil interest, comes into focus.

Project Vote Smart staff and volunteers are working hard to produce a clear and accurate summary of the contents of the bill. At this time, we have posted the voting record for HR 2642 so you can see how the office holder representing you has voted on this piece of legislation. We will have a detailed summary available as soon as possible.