McCain a "flawed candidate"

Support for democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama was expressed during a news conference held by the Democratic National Committee. DNC Chairman Howard Dean thanked former democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for bringing inspiration to the democratic primaries and motivating millions of voters to vote for the Democratic Party. This gratitude was echoed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), saying that it is now clear that the United States is ready to have a woman president.

Pelosi and Dean emphatically stated that electing republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain would be comparable to a third Bush term. Dean said that McCain has voted with Pres. Bush’s policies 95 percent of the time, a higher percentage than any other senator has. Pelosi said that economic stability has been “sucked out of our economy,” by the top one percent of the United States due to Bush’s economic policies, causing the middle and lower class to fall behind. Pelosi said that McCain would continue to support these destructive procedures through taxes that support the wealthy. Pelosi repeatedly stated, “We do not need four more years.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) described the climate in the Senate as “surreal,” saying that republicans have disrupted debate on topics that are crucial to Americans like gas prices, renewable energy, and torture. Reid said Obama will lead the United States in a new, needed direction and that McCain is a “flawed candidate.”

Speakers strongly stated that Obama will win in November will be attributed to Americans’ dissatisfaction with republican policies. Despite a long primary election, Chairman Dean said he has “every confidence” that the party will unite. Pelosi added that woman and blue-collar voters, two demographics that voted strongly for Hillary Clinton, have the most to benefit from Obama and the most to lose from McCain.

Reid says Republicans don't even want to talk

At a Senate leadership "Pen and Pad" session, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said too many members of the Republican party will not address what he described as the "most important issue of our time" - global warming. He said that Republicans are afraid of change and are only interested in maintaining the status quo.

Reid said that his main focus in the upcoming weeks will be the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. In addition to benefiting the environment, this bill is estimated to lower foreign oil imports by 50 percent. He said that the problem facing the Senate is the Republican Party's refusal to add any sort of input concerning the bill. Reid added that he is ready and willing to negotiate amendments to the Act, although he noted that Republicans seem unwilling to even do that much.

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said that 87 percent of Americans believe that global warming is an important issue. Durbin also emphasized the idea that the Republicans are afraid of change and that Republican Senators are not putting the appropriate amount of time into the bill. He said that a bipartisan effort is necessary to moving forward on this bill.

Reid also said that the President must take an active role on this issue and cannot just “lurk in the background.” Reid was also questioned about his views regarding Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) and his decision to support Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the 2008 election. Reid responded by saying that Lieberman was an asset to the caucus, regardless of his decision to endorse McCain.

Today at Talk Radio News Service

The Washington Bureau will cover an Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on "Accountability Lapses in Multiple Funds for Iraq," a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Hearing on "Retail Price of Gas and Competition in the Oil Industry," and a subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee on "The Border Security Challenge: Recent Developments and Legislative Proposals." A correspondent will also cover a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on "Seniors at Risk: Improving Medicare for Our Most Vulnerable." Later, the Washington Bureau will cover a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and House Financial Services Committee joint hearing on how the mortgage crisis afflicts neighborhoods, as well as a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on how to provide legal assistance to low-income Americans.

Pentagon Correspondent Meredith MacKenzie will attend a pen and pad briefing with the Senate Leadership, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), as well as a press conference with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Correspondent Dawn Jones will cover a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Gen. David Petraeus "for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the United States Central Command," and Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno "for appointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq."

Senators, veterans promote GI Bill to send veterans to college

Senators, representatives, veterans, and other public figures gather at a rally in front of the Capitol to promote a new GI Bill that will cover the full cost of college education for veterans.


Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA)


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)


Veteran Lupe Saldana, Former National Commander, American GI Forum of the U.S.

Rally promotes new GI bill to send vets to college

Today various members of the House and Senate along with several U.S. veterans held a rally outside the Capitol to call for immediate legislative action on the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act.” Senators and representatives that included Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) addressed the crowd to rally support for the new GI bill that will cover the full cost of college for veterans, along with many recent U.S. veterans who were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11 and are now facing the difficult task of paying for a college education. Many older veterans also attended the rally to show support for the bill and the younger veterans.

Many of the veterans said that although Americans are often under the impression that the government fully provides for veterans’ education, it pays only a meager amount that still leaves them struggling to make ends meet through student loans, grants, and part-time jobs. Many also said they felt unappreciated because after the service they gave to to their country at great personal sacrifice, they received not even the means to a decent education in return. Pelosi said that America needs to “thank our veterans by sending them to college.”