Barack Obama Closes Gap With Hillary Clinton
October 22, 2007
Barack Obama is still behind Hillary Clinton in the national polls, but in less than week, the campaign did the close the gap in the money department.
Third quarter results showed that Clinton had outraised Obama by $2.1 million. Not to be discouraged by such matters, the campaign sent out a request to the grassroots: “I need you to make a donation to close the gap.”
They delivered late Friday night.
“The success of this drive is a clear example of how we can change politics together. Tens of thousands of ordinary people stepping up to close the gap, determined to make your voice heard above that of the special interests and Washington lobbyists,” wrote David Plouffe on the official website.
“People out there are hungry for change that they can believe in, and we know the more people learn about Barack Obama, the better we do. Your time, your dollars and your willingness to reach out to people on behalf of this cause will make the difference.”
Barack Obama Denounces Failed SCHIP Vote
October 19, 2007
U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on the failed SCHIP Vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Four million American children were denied basic health coverage today because Washington politicians failed to stand up to this President’s disgraceful veto. At a time when we’re spending billions of dollars on a war that never should’ve been
authorized and giving billions in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, Washington’s failure shows a callousness of priorities that is offensive to the ideals we hold as Americans.
When I am President, I will sign a universal health care bill into law by the end of my first term that will cover every American and cut costs more dramatically than any other plan offered by a candidate in this race. And I’ll do it by bringing Republicans and Democrats together, like I did when I expanded health care for an additional 150,000 children and their parents as an Illinois state Senator.”
Source: BarackObama.com
Party Congress Begins In China
October 15, 2007
Over the past few days, the area around Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing, where more than 2,000 communist party delegates will gather Monday, has been awash with police and security forces.
They are ready to prevent dissidents and petitioners, mostly aggrieved rural residents, from disrupting the proceedings.
The Communist Party Congress, held every five years, will elect new senior party leaders and decide on policies that will guide China’s development in the next five years.
The congress is expected to endorse President Hu Jintao’s “harmonious society” concept that envisions a stable China despite bubbling social discontent.
China faces wide-ranging problems arising from its rapid economic development such as corruption, pollution, high prices and land disputes. These problems have resulted in violent protests and riots in the countryside.
On Sunday, Party Congress spokesman Li Dongsheng told reporters that Chinese society is harmonious and stable on the whole.
Li says there have been in his words, “bad incidents”, arising from China’s development. But he said they are regional and individual in nature.
Li adds the “bad incidents” taking place in individual localities have been solved. He says there is social progress and people are satisfied.
But last week, 12,000 petitioners signed an open letter to the country’s leaders demanding reforms and help for their problems.
Activists say the leader of the petitioners was detained Thursday.
Last week, the chief of China’s public security bureau said “no efforts would be spared” by police from all over the country to “resolve disputes and uncertainties at grassroots levels”.
Human rights groups say several dissidents, whistleblowers and petitioners have been detained or harassed in the weeks leading up to the Congress. Since September, the government has been demolishing an area known as the petitioners’ village in suburban Beijing. There, people who come from outside the city stay while waiting for officials to consider their grievances.
In cyberspace, bloggers complain of tighter controls, with their posts disappearing or Web sites shut down by government censors.
The Congress opens on Monday, and ends on October 21.
Source: VOA