CHICAGO (AP) — Former President Clinton will have a role at the Democratic convention in Denver later this month.

Officials say Clinton will give a speech on Wednesday night of the convention. He will speak before an address by the as-yet-to-be-named running mate for likely Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

That Was the Obama We're Still Waiting For

By Michael Tomasky
Sunday, August 10, 2008; B01

As the Democratic convention approaches, it's a safe bet that the cable networks will transport us back in time to late July 2004 by showing clips of Barack Obama's electrifying keynote address to that year's gathering. That was the speech that made him a star (and unlike John McCain's ad team, I mean this as a compliment). But I've sometimes wondered in recent months: Whatever happened to that Obama, to that enemy of excessive partisanship and evangelist of national unity?

You will recall the money sentences: "Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America." These phrases were followed by several deftly chosen images designed to skewer the stereotypes that red and blue Americans entertain about each other. "We worship an awesome God in the blue states," Obama thundered. "And yes," he added, "we've got some gay friends in the red states."

These now-famous lines constituted just a small sliver of the speech; the rest was more standard stuff -- his biography, his concern for workers at a Maytag plant in Galesburg, Ill., (he was running for Senate, after all) and, of course, all the marvelous things that John F. Kerry would do as president. But those lines stood out for a reason: They articulated a deep yearning, held by many Americans of varying beliefs, for less polarization and division. This theme was precisely what cata pulted Obama to the front rank of Democratic poli ticians.

Now ask yourself: Have you heard Obama talk like that lately?

Chances are you haven't. The grand 2004 theme of post-partisanship seems to have all but disappeared from the candidate's rhetoric. In a major foreign policy address he delivered just before his overseas trip last month, he enumerated some of the steps the United States should have taken after Sept. 11, 2001. Getting Osama bin Laden led the list, but when it came to domestic priorities, the man who burst onto the national scene talking about one America conspicuously failed to mention his regret that, instead of being united after the attacks, Americans were divided along partisan lines by an administration that wielded patriotism as an ideological cudgel.

I recently asked David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist, what became of post-partisanship. "Oh, I think he still speaks about it, and I'm sure it'll be a theme at our convention," Axelrod told me. "It's still fundamental to who he is." I'm sure that's true, but I also think that Obama will miss an important opportunity if he doesn't use this month's convention to restate this theme -- and remind voters that a purpler America is still a pretty good idea.

Here are four theories about why Obama has moved post-partisanship to the rhetorical back burner.

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Daily News, By Thomas M. DeFrank, August 11

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama's trailblazing use of the Internet to fuel his campaign has just taken another historic turn: he's offering Web fans instant notice of his vice presidential choice.

"Barack is about to choose a running mate, and he wants you to know first," campaign manager David Plouffe writes in a new message.
"You have helped build this movement from the bottom up, and Barack wants you to be the first to know his choice. Sign up today to be the first to know."

After signing up at my.barackobama.com/vp, "You will receive an email the moment Barack makes his decision, or you can text VP to 62262 to receive a text message on your mobile phone," Plouffe says.

Plouffe's special offer will allow the campaign to expand its campaign's bulging e-mail database. It's not necessary to contribute to get in on this deal, but Plouffe's message does have a "Donate" button at the bottom.

and the TPM thread posters speculate who or what's behind it.

_{"The mythical John McCain is an affable, straight-talking, moderately conservative war hero who is an expert on foreign policy" - Bob Herbert}

This is the top left story on the print edition FP for Sunday. Why they have buried it on the internet site I do not know.

Patrick Healey | August 16

NYT - As Senator Barack Obama prepares to accept the Democratic presidential nomination next week, party leaders in battleground states say the fight ahead against Senator John McCain looks tougher than they imagined, with Mr. Obama vulnerable on multiple fronts despite weeks of cross-country and overseas campaigning

These Democrats — 15 governors, members of Congress and state party leaders — say Mr. Obama has yet to convert his popularity among many Americans into solutions to crucial electoral challenges: showing ownership of an issue, like economic stewardship or national security; winning over supporters of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton; and minimizing his race and experience level as concerns for voters.

Mr. Obama has run for the last 18 months as the candidate of hope. Yet party leaders — while enthusiastic about Mr. Obama and his state-by-state campaign operations — say he must do more to convince the many undecided Democrats and independents that he would address their financial anxieties rather than run, by and large, as an agent of change — given that change, they note, is not an issue.

“I particularly hope he strengthens his economic message — even Senator Obama can speak more clearly and specifically about the kitchen-table, bread-and-butter issues like high energy costs,” said Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio. “It’s fine to tell people about hope and change, but you have to have plenty of concrete, pragmatic ideas that bring hope and change to life.”

Or, in the blunter words of Gov. Phil Bredesen, Democrat of Tennessee: “Instead of giving big speeches at big stadiums, he needs to give straight-up 10-word answers to people at Wal-Mart about how he would improve their lives.”

Obama advisers say he has made significant headway defining his positions on issues like tougher trade policies, the links between new energy sources and job creation and projecting American leadership abroad. At the same time, his trip last month to Iraq, Afghanistan and Europe helped reassure voters about his experience, they said, and his agreement to a roll-call vote on Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy at the convention should bring her disappointed supporters into the fold.

Moreover, the Obama campaign has started running negative advertisements against Mr. McCain in battleground states — often without announcing them beforehand. The reason, Obama aides say, is to try to convince voters that Mr. McCain is barely different than President Bush through a day or two of uncontested advertisements — until the Republicans learn about them and begin to counter the ads.

Yet these advisers also acknowledge that the Obama phenomenon — the candidacy that helped inspire record voter registrations and turnout during the primaries — has come down to earth in a divided, economically stressed nation. Even though political analysts say that the economic conditions favor the Democrats in this election, and Mr. Bush’s unpopularity could hurt Republicans, Mr. Obama has not broken away from Mr. McCain in polling — a reflection, in part, of the huge numbers of undecided voters across party lines. more at the link

_{"The mythical John McCain is an affable, straight-talking, moderately conservative war hero who is an expert on foreign policy" - Bob Herbert}

Times UK

Tom Baldwin in Washington

Barack Obama’s campaign for the presidency is scrambling to stem a stream of false allegations modelled on the “Swift Boat” smears that helped to defeat the last Democratic nominee, John Kerry, four years ago.

A new book written by Jerome Corsi, entitled The Obama Nation, leapt to No 1 in the bestseller lists this week with claims that the Illinois senator is a closet Muslim, a black militant and takes cocaine.

Among the same author’s other titles is Unfit for Command, a book that helped to propagate allegations from the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth about Mr Kerry’s Vietnam war record.

Corsi’s latest work is one of an estimated 20 books – largely hostile – that are being written about Mr Obama.

MORE at the link.

August 18, 2008

A confident Barack Obama raised an extraordinary $7.8 million Sunday at three California fundraisers, most of it in large checks to a Democratic Party committee.

“I will win. Don’t worry about that,” he said to the crowd of about 1,300 at his third event of the evening, according to the pool report.

He was warmly received by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called him "a leader that God has blessed us with at this time."

more at Politico

I think right now McCain thinks Putin is the anti-Christ, given McC's comments on Christian Georgia. However I don't foresee a campaign video to that effect anytime soon

Raw Story

"Apparently a not-insignificant number of Americans, after viewing John McCain's Web ad The One, with its Messianic overtones -- come away thinking that Barack Obama has been sent from Hell to Earth to turn its citizens against God. For inspiration, some of these people seem to be drawing from the fictional Left Behind series, which posits a dystopian future where the Anti-Christ comes to Earth as a charismatic politician. "

McCain's campaign of course insists that convincing Evangelicals that Obama was the Anti-Christ was never their intention. CNN notes that regardless of its intent, though, the ad seems to have spurred increased interest in the baseless speculation.

The video at the link is from CNN's Newsroom, broadcast August 15, 2008.

_{"The mythical John McCain is an affable, straight-talking, moderately conservative war hero who is an expert on foreign policy" - Bob Herbert}

Maybe he should get rid of those funny glasses he's wearing

The Caucus - Former President Bill Clinton on Monday praised Senator Barack Obama’s energy policy at the opening of the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas.

But Mr. Clinton also lauded Mr. Obama’s rival, Senator John McCain, and said that either candidate would be progressive on the issue of climate change.

_{"The mythical John McCain is an affable, straight-talking, moderately conservative war hero who is an expert on foreign policy" - Bob Herbert}

Huffington Post - Yesterday, three prominent progressive bloggers suggested Barack Obama has a serious weakness. Josh Marshall of TPM , and John Aravosis... and Joe Sudbay of Americablog.

Joe Sudbay adds:

Just to be clear, this isn't the kind of post we want to be writing right now. We'd much rather be beating the crap out of John McCain's hypocrisy and rebutting the Karl Rove attacks on Obama. Anyone who read this blog during the primaries knows how strongly we felt about nominating Obama. Our commitment can't be questioned. We really, really, really want a Democratic president. But, we're not getting much to work with from the Obama campaign, hence this post. As John wrote, this feeling is pervasive. For some reason, Obama's top advisers seem to be living in their own bubble and this campaign, which we all thought would be different, is starting to feel like Democratic campaigns of the past. There's plenty of time to fix this. The blogs are poised to help (should the campaign ever decide to truly engage us). Not to be corny, but this campaign isn't about Barack Obama or his campaign staff or his media consultants or his Internet team. It's bigger than all of them and they need to realize that. This really is about our nation's future. We have to win and the Obama campaign needs to let us all help him win."

_{"The mythical John McCain is an affable, straight-talking, moderately conservative war hero who is an expert on foreign policy" - Bob Herbert}

After the Big Think
What Barack Obama learned on his vacation.
By John Dickerson
Posted Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008, at 6:56 PM ET

snip

2. Show them how you feel: Speaking in Albuquerque, N.M., Monday about equal pay for women, Obama said that he didn't want his daughters "to ever confront a situation where they are disadvantaged because of their gender. The thought of it makes my blood boil."

http://www.slate.com/id/2198115/

h/t lambert at corrente

I can only conclude he does not give a rats ass about the female vote~ me

By Krissah Williams
Sen. Barack Obama's team will continue its aggressive outreach to evangelical voters at the Democratic National Convention next week. Making a prime-time appearance Thursday night will be Joel C. Hunter, a Florida megachurch pastor who will deliver the convention's closing prayer following Obama's speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination.

Hunter is a registered Republican, opposes abortion and, at one point, had been chosen to lead the Christian Coalition. He has not endorsed Obama and says he agreed to give the benediction because has was asked to do so. For years he has agitated for evangelicals to refuse to align themselves with any one political party and has been a part of the so-called new evangelical movement interested in getting away from traditional culture war flashpoints.

"I'll kind of be the elephant in the room, but it really says something about how far Senator Obama is reaching out," Hunter said in a phone interview today. "We are expanding the agenda of what's pro-life. When you consider poverty, environmentalism and war ... those are the issues that are being addressed by the Democratic Party."

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Self-proclaimed "greatest prank evar" required 18 months, $390 million in prep work
Springfield, IL - August 23, 2008 - In front of a cheering crowd as well as in a text message to over three million anxious supporters, U.S. Senator and prospective Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama declared to the world that he had selected 1980's pop musician Rick Astley to be his vice-presidential running mate.

"And now, America, what you've all been waiting to hear!" shouted the Junior Senator from the state of Illinois, as an American-flag-decorated curtain dropped behind Mr. Obama, immediately followed by the familiar opening drum beats and funk synthesizer chords of Astley's 1987 hit single, "Never Gonna Give You Up."
Pumping his fists downward in a striking motion as he spoke, Mr. Obama continued, "you just got Rickrolled, America!"

While the title of "greatest prank ever" remains speculative, experts from the Guinness Book of World Records verified shortly before press time that Obama's announcement likely set the world record for the longest sustained silence from a crowd of over 10,000 people, at roughly over seven minutes.

and according to ace (ptui) reporter Matt Drudge, it ain't Bayh or Kaine either.

Which leaves Biden or some guy/gal named whoknowz.

(Belly belly bad mistake methinks.)

Multiple Democratic sources confirm to CNN that Sen. Barack Obama has selected Sen. Joseph Biden as his vice presidential nominee.

Actually, this article talks more about the campaign than about the convention:-)

Drew Westin | August 25

In the presidential race of 2004 we had the Two Americas. In this year's race we have the Two Obamas: the one who has drawn repeated comparisons to JFK, RFK, and MLK, and the one who has drawn comparisons to Adlai Stevenson, Michael Dukakis, and John Kerry. Whether Obama will win the general election depends on whether he and his campaign make sure that the right Obama shows up for the remainder of the campaign.

Obama was losing this time last year to Hillary Clinton until he changed course at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Iowa in November and started inspiring voters again in a way that only a once-in-a-generation leader can do. He lost much of the second half of the primary season as his negatives rose consistently in response to her sustained blows as he refused even to put his hands up to block them. From the time he became the presumptive nominee until the last two weeks, Democrats have been growing increasingly alarmed that they were poised to lose another unloseable election, as his campaign was once again turning Obama the charismatic leader into Obama the rambling, dispassionate, conflict-avoidant, traditional Democratic presidential candidate.

more at the link

_{"The mythical John McCain is an affable, straight-talking, moderately conservative war hero who is an expert on foreign policy" - Bob Herbert}

Huffington Post, August 25

AP report, followed by video and text of the speech.

By David Usborne
Saturday, 6 September 2008
The Independent

Barack Obama entered the final stretch of the race for the White House by accusing John McCain of presiding over a convention in St Paul that repeatedly attacked him while offering nothing to address the economic vice that is tightening on most voters.

His criticism came as new figures showed unemployment hitting 6.1 per cent. Those watching the Republicans, Mr Obama told supporters in Duryea, Pennsylvania, "wouldn't know we have the highest unemployment rate in three years because they didn't spend any time talking about the middle class".

The senator, who has still not opened a comfortable lead on Mr McCain in the polls, went on: "They talked about me a lot in less than respectful terms. They spent a lot of time trying to run me down. But what they didn't talk about is you. And what you're going through."

The Democrats were caught on the hop by the surprise selection of Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, as Mr McCain's running mate. But, by yesterday, they had settled on a plan of attack that will avoid all mention of her family issues. Nor do they expect to press the inexperience issue too hard. However, they do see opportunities to criticise her record as governor, for instance on the environment(The Real Scandal).

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NYT, By Kate Phillips, September 7

WASHINGTON — Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic nominee for vice president, departed Sunday from party doctrine on abortion rights, declaring that as a Catholic, he believes life begins at conception.

While Mr. Biden’s views may not be new to Democrats in his circle, his comments, in an interview on “Meet the Press” on NBC, came at a time when his party is confronted with a new face: Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, whose anti-abortion stance and decision to give birth just five months ago to a baby with Down syndrome have revved up the conservative base of her party.

In the interview Sunday, Mr. Biden tried to walk the line between the staunch abortion-rights advocates in his party and his own religious beliefs. While he said he did not often talk about his faith, he said of those who disagree with him: “They believe in their faith and they believe in human life, and they have differing views as to when life — I’m prepared as a matter of faith to accept that life begins at the moment of conception.”

Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, was also questioned about his views, on the ABC News program “This Week.” Last month, in an interview with the Rev. Rick Warren at the Saddleback Church in California, Mr. Obama skirted a question about when life begins, saying that determining such a thing was “above my pay grade.” On ABC on Sunday, Mr. Obama characterized his response then as a little “too flip,” adding, “All I meant to communicate was that I don’t presume to be able to answer these kinds of theological questions.

“What I do know is that abortion is a moral issue,” Mr. Obama continued, “that it’s one that families struggle with all the time, and that in wrestling with those issues, I don’t think that the government criminalizing the choices that families make is the best answer for reducing abortions. I think the better answer — and this was reflected in the Democratic platform — is to figure out, how do we make sure that young mothers, or women who have a pregnancy that’s unexpected or difficult, have the kind of support they need to make a whole range of choices, including adoption and keeping the child.”

At the Democratic convention in Denver, the party’s platform was indeed expanded to embrace anti-abortion views.

and sometimes is his worst enemy

The Independent

Team Obama plans lunch with Clinton to plot fightback

snip

Democrats and much of the media are anxious to see how Mrs Palin performs away from Mr McCain, particularly when protective barriers are lifted to allow reporters to question her. Under pressure to show she is up to scrutiny, the Governor has agreed to a one-on-one interview with ABC news. In a Fox interview, President Bush said: "I find her to be a very dynamic, capable, smart woman, who, you know, it really says that John McCain made an inspired pick." Condoleezza Rice declined to comment on Mrs Palin.

An unexpected problem for the Democrats came after Mr Obama was talking about religion on ABC TV on Sunday. He inadvertently said "my Muslim faith". He immediately corrected himself – he is a Christian – but not fast enough to stop conservative bloggers rekindling rumours that he is Muslim.

Kentucky Clinton voters, a big force, are drifting to Obama

Perhaps the most influential voting bloc in Kentucky this fall will be the supporters of a candidate who's not even in the presidential race.

That would be the throngs of Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters, many of whom are women — specifically white, baby boomer-types. They are known online as Hillarinas or Clintonistas.
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_{"While not a Playboy reader, she invites a male acquaintance in for a quiet discussion of Chagall, Nietzsche, jazz, sex." - not a Hugh Hefner quote}

it yearns for

An America that disdains Obama for his global support risks turning current anti-Bush feeling into something far worse

The feeling is familiar. I had it four years ago and four years before that: a sinking feeling in the stomach. It's a kind of physical pessimism which says: "It's happening again. The Democrats are about to lose an election they should win - and it could not matter more."

In my head, I'm not as anxious for Barack Obama's chances as I was for John Kerry's in 2004 or Al Gore's in 2000. He is a better candidate than both put together, and all the empirical evidence says this year favours Democrats more than any since 1976. But still, I can't shake off the gloom.

Look at yesterday's opinion polls, which have John McCain either in a dead heat with Obama or narrowly ahead. Given the well-documented tendency of African-American candidates to perform better in polls than in elections - thanks to people who say they will vote for a black man but don't - this suggests Obama is now trailing badly. More troubling was the ABC News-Washington Post survey which found McCain ahead among white women by 53% to 41%. Two weeks ago, Obama had a 15% lead among women. There is only one explanation for that turnaround, and it was not McCain's tranquilliser of a convention speech: Obama's lead has been crushed by the Palin bounce.

So you can understand my pessimism. But it's now combined with a rising frustration. I watch as the Democrats stumble, uncertain how to take on Sarah Palin. Fight too hard, and the Republican machine, echoed by the ditto-heads in the conservative commentariat on talk radio and cable TV, will brand Democrats sexist, elitist snobs, patronising a small-town woman. Do nothing, and Palin's rise will continue unchecked, her novelty making even Obama look stale, her star power energising and motivating the Republican base.
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_{"While not a Playboy reader, she invites a male acquaintance in for a quiet discussion of Chagall, Nietzsche, jazz, sex." - not a Hugh Hefner quote}

It was a gift that the McCain campaign could not resist pouncing on. Barack Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, admitted in an unguarded moment that Hillary Clinton may be more qualified to be vice-president than he is.

Mr Biden was probably acknowledging what many Democrats privately believe to be true. Some of the party's most experienced operatives are now fearful that the Republicans are controlling the election.

"Let's get that straight," Mr Biden said, while campaigning in New Hampshire on Wednesday night. "[Hillary's] a truly close personal friend; she is qualified to be president of the United States of America. She's easily qualified to be vice-president of the United States of America and quite frankly it might have been a better pick than me, but she is first-rate."
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_{"While not a Playboy reader, she invites a male acquaintance in for a quiet discussion of Chagall, Nietzsche, jazz, sex." - not a Hugh Hefner quote}

Is it really over for McCain?Ask the experts

Interviews by Suzanne Goldenberg and Daniel Nasaw
The Guardian,
Thursday October 9 2008
Article history

John McCain's campaign - even according to his supporters - is running into trouble. Most polls have him trailing Barack Obama by significant margins. Here the Guardian asks top US commentators whether the race is now over or whether he can pull off a remarkable comeback.

Elaine Kamarck
White House aide to Bill Clinton and Democratic superdelegate
Kennedy School of Government
"We know historically that when people are concerned about their pocket books they turn to the Democratic party. It doesn't look like this economic crisis is going to go away. John McCain is fighting an uphill battle, historically. He made a very good start last night, which nobody paid attention to, which is this proposal on foreclosures. He's got two or three weeks to somehow overcome the prejudice among the voters that the Republicans are somehow responsible for this and that they're not the ones to handle this. It's a tall order, because this is not something that comes naturally to him ... He's got two options: he can try to change the conversation, which is extremely difficult given the severity of the financial crisis, or he can try to compete on the economic front."

The Daily Beast, By Christopher Buckley, October 11

The son of William F. Buckley has decided—shock!—to vote for a Democrat.

Let me be the latest conservative/libertarian/whatever to leap onto the Barack Obama bandwagon. It’s a good thing my dear old mum and pup are no longer alive. They’d cut off my allowance.

Or would they? But let’s get that part out of the way. The only reason my vote would be of any interest to anyone is that my last name happens to be Buckley—a name I inherited. So in the event anyone notices or cares, the headline will be: “William F. Buckley’s Son Says He Is Pro-Obama.” I know, I know: It lacks the throw-weight of “Ron Reagan Jr. to Address Democratic Convention,” but it’ll have to do.

I am—drum roll, please, cue trumpets—making this announcement in the cyberpages of The Daily Beast (what joy to be writing for a publication so named!) rather than in the pages of National Review, where I write the back-page column. For a reason: My colleague, the superb and very dishy Kathleen Parker, recently wrote in National Review Online a column stating what John Cleese as Basil Fawlty would call “the bleeding obvious”: namely, that Sarah Palin is an embarrassment, and a dangerous one at that. She’s not exactly alone. New York Times columnist David Brooks, who began his career at NR, just called Governor Palin “a cancer on the Republican Party.”

As for Kathleen, she has to date received 12,000 (quite literally) foam-at-the-mouth hate-emails. One correspondent, if that’s quite the right word, suggested that Kathleen’s mother should have aborted her and tossed the fetus into a Dumpster. There’s Socratic dialogue for you. Dear Pup once said to me sighfully after a right-winger who fancied himself a WFB protégé had said something transcendently and provocatively cretinous, “You know, I’ve spent my entire life time separating the Right from the kooks.” Well, the dear man did his best. At any rate, I don’t have the kidney at the moment for 12,000 emails saying how good it is he’s no longer alive to see his Judas of a son endorse for the presidency a covert Muslim who pals around with the Weather Underground. So, you’re reading it here first.

WaPo woohoo

Senator Biden will hold a conference call with 500 advocates and victims who are activists against violence against women to announce the 2 millionth call to the Domestic Violence Hotline that he helped create this afternoon.

Approximately 1,400 women a year – four every day – die in the United States as a result of domestic violence. And 132,000 women report that they have been victims of a rape or attempted rape, and it is estimated that an even greater number have been raped, but do not report it.

Biden wrote and passed the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) which is the strongest legislation to date that criminalizes domestic violence and other forms of violence against women, provides victims with the support they deserve, and holds batterers accountable. Signed into law in 1994, the bill funds and helps communities, nonprofit organizations, and police combat domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

VAWA establishes a sexual assault services program and provides education grants to prevent domestic violence. Since VAWA was enacted, over 2,500 separate shelters, centers, and outreach offices have been established and the National Domestic Violence Hotline has received over 2 million calls. Shining a spotlight on this violence has resulted both in better supports for victims, and lowering the incident rate of domestic violence by 60%.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden will make ending violence against women and children a White House priority.
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_{Tolerating prostitution is tolerating abuse and torture of women and children.}

We never hear much about her, we are missing a lot.

Dahleen Glanton | Jacksonville, NC | October 26

LATimes - As a major component of his presidential bid, Democratic nominee Barack Obama has deployed his wife on a mission to win over military families, many of them traditional Republicans. She has targeted the group with whom she hopes to forge an alliance -- wives of servicemen.

In a series of round-table discussions and rallies in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and New Mexico -- all battleground states -- Michelle Obama has discussed how she, like military spouses, juggles work and family. On the campaign trail she describes herself in simple terms -- a mother, a lawyer and a wife who grew up in a blue-collar family in working-class Chicago. (Educated at Harvard, she earned more than $300,000 in 2005 as a hospital executive.)

Wives vent to her about the difficulty of raising children while their husbands are away. They share stories about the loneliness, financial challenges and fears that come with being a military spouse.

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“The absence of any US-Iran bilateral channel...may have the perverse effect of reinforcing Iranian interest in progressing in the nuclear realm so that the US will be forced to take it seriously and engage it directly." ~ Richard Haass

Bowers says so