The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

If some people are "worried" about Moses Mercado being on the Obama campaign, that shows he is a capable individual, and capable he is. Moses came from humble beginnings in South Texas and perservered with one thing going for him--his intelligence. He emerged as a great leader and everyone from his home town saw his potential and leadership capabilities. Mr. Obama should be very proud that Moses accepted a position with the Obama Campaign because Moses can choose any job he wants. I know Moses' capabilities--I am his sister-in-law and very proud of him!

"His resume seems to contradict one of Obama's central themes on the campaign trail" made me scoff.

Are you kidding? Did you actually read his resume?

Moses is an amazing person who grew up in south Texas (quite the opposite of privileged...) and then devoted years and years of his life to the public sector. Everyone I know who knows him admires him, his values and his phenomenal work ethic. When I think of people who "fight the good fight", I think of Moses. I am thrilled he is going to support the Obama campagin. Viva Obama!

How silly of the author to misrepresent his work at Ogilvy, a firm he has been with for very few months, or, for that matter, to misrepresent Ogilvy. It is a PR firm with an array of clients - not a defence contractor. Moses went to work, briefly, in gov rel for a big PR firm - he didn't sell his soul to the devil. Or become a Republican.

Welcome to American Politics 101. They are all part of the establishment. Hilary is the worst though. Bill her husband is a senior advisor to Carlysle group. Bush(jnr) worked for a subsiduary b4 becoming pres, Bush Snr was a consultant, so are and were many other former heads of states such as John Major and former Thailand Pres who has a dispicable human rights record. So yes Obama is part of the establishment but so is every other politician. Politics is a game and its naive to think that we will ever have an american president that is completely unattached to the corporate world.

EDWARDS '08

Right on, callan7. Obama is too focused on winning the money race, not the good of our country. He didn't even vote Wednesday against the Leiberman resolution on Iran--which immediately caused Iran to beat the war-rhetoric drums. What was he doing that was more important? Campaigning to raise even more money than the obscene amounts he's already raised? Or cramming for the Wednesday night debate because he doesn't appear from previous debates to have a deep understanding and clear vision on all the important issues?

Edwards is the real progressive among the leading Dems and the candidate outside the usual business-as-usual political machinery, machinery that isn't working for ordinary Americans. John's heart and entire career has been with working class Americans.

He's betting his campaign on true grassroots support. Give $2, $10, whatever you can afford to putting America's Champ in the White House!
https://johnedwards.com/action/contribute/mygrassroots/?page_id=Mjg2Njk

John Edwards represents real change--Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are, unfortunately, more of the same old politics as usual and beholden to big corporate interests. Isn't that what's wrong with Washington?

Edwards has never taken money from Washington lobbyists, which may put him behind in the money race, but it allows him to put principle over politics. He is honest, candid, and has the best interests of working families at heart. He depends on grassroots donations, so go to www.johnedwards.com and give $10, $25, whatever you can afford. American needs this populist now more than ever!

Well man, we are polar opposites here. I do appreciate the dialogue. I gain more and more respect as Barack Obamas campaign progresses.. As a 49 year old father and grandfather I have a deep concern for our future. Mr. Mercado will not be raising money for the campaign so I see no problem
or contradiction. My take is that the polls will start to close and Barack will steadily move higher and higher. Millions of disgusted, disillusioned, disenfranchised, and disenchanted Americans
will show up to support this candidate who
they believe can foster some real change. At any rate we will find out eventually. My take is no matter what, its a step up from where we are now. The best of luck to you.

eSPO1 - it doesn't seem to matter what the facts or the truth is about Sen. Obama, you and many of his supporters are going to see him through rose colored glasses.

I will say this - I think he will get less than 1 in 4 Democrats to vote for him in the primary because of speaking against the influence of lobbyist while bringing them onto his campaign. Most Democratic voters think (like I do) it is one thing to admit this is how the game is played and play along. It is something else entirely to portray yourself as above this kind of influence and admonish your opponents while you hypocritically do the same thing.

I loose more and more respect for Mr. Obama as this campaign goes on.

CLawrence.Much respect to you for the service to our fine country. I will approach this whole thing with pragmatism and objectivity. Form what I remeber about the vote that you refer to( that Obama missed) is that he has stated it was non -binding and it goes along with his thoughts that we may end up with a "divided" Iraq but it should be their choice not ours. I do agree with his point.
Please note that he did cancel an appearance on "The View" to vote on an important anti- crime bill. Barack needs the exposure the show would have provided, however,he does prioritize very well when his vote is on something substantive. His record clearly shows this. Illinois may have a dismal record on veterans affairs,you can hardly place this on his shoulders. Once again his record, for years, is one of consistantly fighting on their behalf. I am particularly proud of Baracks record on racial issues. he takes the approach that our constitution, bill of rigts and pledge of allegience takes. These are really not racial issues but they are issues of justice. Since" all men are created equal" and and since we are "One nation under god, with liberty and justice for all" Obama believes that justice is not predicated on skin color but that all desrve justice regardless of their pigmentation. I did not say local politics is "irrelevent". I did say that after careful review I find nothing in his past that even resembles scandal.Two wrongs don`t make a right but Barack did vote on the alternative condemnation and stated by Boxer (D) California "reaffirming strong support for all men and women in the military and condemning attacks on the "honor, integrity and patriotism" of any individual who is serving or has served in the Armed Forces". He also stated he felt the move.on ad was a cheap attempt to score political points long before any vote. Once again his stance is very clear.It seems as if you are rushing to blame Barack for things ha can`t control and not giving him the credit for what he has done. This story is about the possible inclusion of a lobbyist in his campaign. This former lobbyist will function as an advisor, not a fund raiser so there is no hypocrisy whatsoever.

Clinton voted to declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, there by giving a subtle rational for the US to legitimize military action toward Iran.

Obama was too busy hob-knobbing with lobbyist and Hollywood's elite to even vote.

Senators Biden and Dodd both voted against it.

It is sad that too many think this is a race only between Clinton (Republican light?) and Obama (Policy/Experience light?)

This story is yet one illustration that Obama is no different than the Washington politicians he consistently expresses disdain toward. If you sincerely believe you will have as much influence as this well connected lobbyist you are only kidding yourselves.

7 years ago Hillary was unemployed. If being married to a politician now constitutes experience, why not elect Laura or Barbara Bush? For a feminist, Hillary sure seems dependant on her husband. Notice how she refers to the Clinton admin. as "we". "We got alot done...we were able to accomplish..." What position did she hold? Could Hillary have won a Senate seat in any of the other 49 states? Arkansas? Illinois? Odd how she was placed on the board of walmart while Bill was governor of Ark. Of course Clinton supporters are upset about Mercado...they want all the lobbyists for themselves.

eSPO1 - I'll accept your apology, and I hope that you continue to look into Senator Obama and be more objective in your assessment of him and whether or not he lives up to his rhetoric.

The Biden/Boxer bill was voted on this Tuesday. Senators Dodd, Clinton, and Biden all voted for it, as well as 24 Republicans. It is the first time that a bipartisan group of Senators has passed anything of substance and changes the direction of our strategy in Iraq. Senator Obama claimed in the Wednesday debate that he was fighting to change course in Iraq, yet he missed this vote (as well as several others).

As a veteran who has served in Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo - and as a resident of IL, I find Sen. Obama's (as I do most politicians) support of veteran's empty rhetoric. IL has the single worst disability rating system in the nation, and the highest unemployment rate of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The numbers don't lie.

That this congress and administration continue to give lip service toward changing the health care system that serves our disabled vets is utterly shameful. If they cannot solve the problem for a few thousand veterans, I have no faith they are able or willing to truly address the larger health care crises in America.

Local politics may seem irrelevant to you, but Mr. Obama is claiming that he was able to accomplish much with his leadership at the local level. This is one of the single most corrupt states and cities in the nation. There is no evidence to show that Senator Obama contributed anything to change that.

If Senator Obama is going to speak toward the racial divide in America, he should be willing to call on the Mayor of Chicago to give testimony as to his involvement while he was State Attorney in Cook County and why exactly he did not follow through on charges toward Police Commander John Burge. A though investigation has found that under Burge's command, the police in Area 2 used torture in order to get confessions from innocent suspects. That is what led to the death penalty scandal here in IL.

If Senator Obama is campaigning on speaking truth to power, and wanting to usher in a new kind of politics that does not focus on tearing down others, he should find the resolve to take a symbolic vote and voice his objection toward the MoveOn tactics toward Gen. Petreus. I understand your argument toward the swiftboat tactics, and stood side by side with Senator Cleland here in Chicago when they came to town to stand up for the Senator Kerry. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Senator Obama is not what you think he is. He is an articulate, thoughtful, young man with a bright future. But he is, in my assessment, an empty vessel that the Chicago machine has attempted to catapult into the Whitehouse, despite his lack of experience or demonstration of sound judgment. He should be proud for voicing his concerns about Iraq, (I spoke with Senator Durbin about my apprehension on this misguided strategy prior to being called up for active duty), but that alone doesn't qualify him to be president.

The only rational response to his joining the campaign is to see if Obama changes his positions to not favor average Americans and suddenly supports drug companies and a rush of Blackwater troops into Iraq. Somehow I think Barack will stand up to any perceived conflict of interest and continue advocating the things he always has. Watch and see. It never hurts to get many voices and opinions to choose and learn from. But I trust Obama's instincts and record.

CLawrence, Please forgive me for my gross assumption. Thank you for the spelling critique. I should use spell check. I was just expressing my opinion that you sound just like a mindless Straussian. You are correct Obama didn`t vote against the war and he has never maintained that he did. What he does say is that he loudly proclaimed his opposition to it. When it was politically inconvinient.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?
v=EhpKmQCCwB8&mode=related&search=

I find it very helpful, when evaluating the voting record of any candidate, to look at their record in context. Not take an isolated case. I`m not sure which Boxer/Biden bill that you are referring to, there have been a few. Baracks failure to vote on moveon.orgs portrayal of the good general has been answered. It was a meaningless vote, it was more symbolic than material.He has explained his position on it. Why should they be criticized when the Repubicans ( no spelling error) never apologized to John Kerry or Max Cleland for slamming them ? Read about what Barack has done for the veterans if you want to see how he really feels about it http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2007/04/nypost_scores_its_own_obama_pr.html I don`t try to equate missing some moot pointed vote for Barack Obama is all about. I can`t speak about your local politics ,I do know that Barack Obama has garnered respect and support from many people on the right. I have looked as deep as I can to the Rezco deal, neither one of us has a crystal ball, but, I am comfortable with my impression that it will amount to nothing. Your disgust is apparent to the point that you appear to have lost all objectivity and have become very cynical. I am sorry you sound like a bright and caring individual. I was in the same boat, very politically apathetic and disgusted with where we are going as a nation. Please don`t give up. I sincerely believe that Barack is a man of conviction and high moral fiber. Until I see something concrete I will feel this way.. The more I look, the more I like. Once again, I apologize for the mischaracterization.I will take your comment about working for the campaign as a compliment. I don`t work for them. Thank you.

eSPO1 - as a loyal Democrat, who worked for Gov. Cuomo's administration, and as a veteran of OIF who returned to volunteer for the Kerry Campaign, your impression that I am some sort of "mindless Straussian supporting the right wing that believe that the truth is dispensible" is completely off base. (it is spelled dispensable)

The truth is that Senator Obama didn't vote against this war - missed voting on the Biden-Boxer bill because he was too busy with other things to register his voice on a true change in strategy - refused to stand up for an honorable veteran from the character assassination of MoveOn - has equated our actions in Afghanistan as "carpet bombing villages indiscriminately" in at a campaign stop in NH - and has no significant legislation that he has passed either in the IL state house or in the nations capitol.

Those are all truths.

Additionally, you can try and paint over the Rezco connection, but that trial has only just begun. Mr. Obama has done nothing to advance progressive politics here in Chicago or the state of IL. He consistently supports such ethically challenged folks as former Alderman Tillman, President of the Cook county board Todd Stroger, and Mayor Daley (who refuses to testify about torture on US soil under the police command of John Burge and sent several innocent men to death row).

The federal government has failed to provide health care to a few thousand veterans, and it gives me little faith that Mr. Obama, who hasn't got the political will or support to solve this embarrassment, can deliver on his promise to work in a bi-partisan way to pass his version of 'universal coverage'.

I can only assume that you work for the campaign, but to not see that hiring a lobbyist who has represented such organizations as the National Rifle Association, the Carlyle Group, the Blackstone Group, Monsanto, Pfizer Inc., United Health Group, Sempra Energy and Constellation Energy as anything other than hypocritical of Mr. Obama and his campaign.

That's the truth, and it isn't being pointed out by anyone who belongs to the 'right wing', but someone who is a loyal, moderate Democrat who may well become an independent who is disgusted with the lack of leadership in both parties.

Clawrence, I think its great that Mr. Mercado wants to help the Obama campaign and our country so much that he will leave his job to do it. The campaign is transparent and use of the word hypocrisy to describe the Obama campiagn is innacurate. Barack has continuously voted for legislation that demands the source of more and more funding becomes disclosed. Your view of reality is obviously skewed. He is not saying one thing and doing another.The Rezco thing is just a another attempt to criticize with no grounds. Anybody that researches the Rezco
association will find you are making a large mound out of a small molehill. Speaking of buying the election? .. it is Mitt Romney who is pouring millions and millions of his own dollars into the campaign because he does not have the kind of support that Barack Obama has. Obama has support from every segment of society whether you like it or not. Your innacurate statements are silly. You say "He should stop insulting his fellow Democratic senators with his audacious and obnoxious claim that he alone possesses the judgment to lead this party" and he has never claimed to be the only person that has the judgement to lead the party. He has excercised very good judgement when he voiced his loud and unpopular opinion that the war in Iraq was a quagmire of blood and money. This administration has spent billions of dollars and accomplished little except to incite more radical jihadists against us. barack Obama has a respectable track record of building bipartisan relationships and, deny it or not, it is reality. The problem with the veterans and veterans care is a national disgrace and it has more to do with this administration that it does Barack Obama. Chalk another post up for another mindless Straussian supporting the right wing that believe that the truth is dispensible. You use innuendo, false information and half truth to build up your case. Hey man, When it`s all you got, its all you got. Your bullets are rubber and the American people are smarter than that now We`ve been fooled before.

The campaign is requiring Mercado to leave his position as a lobbyist - is transparent - the truth?

The truth is that Obama is a Chicago machine politician with little experience and few accomplishments. The truth is that he accepts money from lobbyist, including Rezco (currently under federal indictment) and would be as beholden toward these lobbyists as Clinton. The truth is the hypocrisy of Obama's campaign promises is transparent.

No matter how much Hollywood and Washington insiders raise and Obama attempts to buy this election, his campaign is all but done. He should stop insulting his fellow Democratic senators with his audacious and obnoxious claim that he alone possesses the judgment to lead this party. Fewer than 1 in 5 party members think so.

For someone who claims to be above the politics of the day and can build the bridges between the political divide, he should show up in the Senate and register his vote when it comes time to speak truth to power and condemn the nasty politics played by Moveon. He should live up to the promise of providing medical care to our wounded vets (they still aren't getting it 6 months after the Post exposed the shameful treatment at Walter Reed) and use his position on the VA committee to get something of substance passed. But he won't.

Chalk one up for the National Rifle Association, the Carlyle Group, the Blackstone Group, Monsanto, Pfizer Inc., United Health Group, Sempra Energy and Constellation Energy. Senator Obama should be ashamed of his hypocrisy, for not living up to his potential and for letting down the thousand of supports who he is disappointing.

The Obama campaign is requiring Mercado to leave is position as a lobbyist. They require that of all of their staff. The campaign is transparent and so is Mercardo. It seems to be so difficult for some folks to believe the truth when they see it. It is always astonishing to me when so many people keep trying to stuff different information into the same old picture frame. Reframe! Reframe!

I agree more of an indication that Obama is not for as much change as he wants people to think.

I am not against Mercado working for Obama and I don't think Obama's supporters will be but the issue for Obama will be the hypocrisy that it indicates. You can't have it both ways and I think that has been the problem with Obama's campaign.

It may just be his inexperience in general or his inexperience in running a Presidential campaign. But this is a problem that won't go away for Obama.

More evidence Obama is just another part of the establishment.