EDWARDS CAMPAIGN RELEASE

Union endorses Edwards as the strongest candidate to win the election and help working Americans, will make formal announcement in New Hampshire

(Manchester, NH) - The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, representing more than 520,000 members nationally and over 2,100 members in New Hampshire alone, today endorsed Senator John Edwards for president. After carefully considering all the candidates from both parties, the Carpenters Union chose Edwards as the candidate with the best chance of winning the White House and the person who will best represent hard-working families. Following a meeting with the union's executive board and 35 key leaders from throughout the United States last week in Las Vegas, they voted overwhelmingly to endorse Edwards. The formal endorsement will be made at a rally of union members on September 8th in New Hampshire. Edwards' endorsement is the union's first endorsement in the primaries in several presidential cycles.

"I am honored to receive the support of the Carpenters Union," said Edwards. "For more than a century, they have been fighting for working Americans and standing up for the values that have made our country great - hard work, responsibility, and fairness. America was built by men and women who worked with their hands, and it's labor that made our country great. I look forward to joining with the Carpenters to build one America, where every person has the chance to work hard and get ahead."

"Our endorsement is based on the Senator's outspoken support for all of organized labor and his focus on America's working families," said Carpenters President Douglas J. McCarron. "In addition to his support for labor, our leadership was particularly impressed with the Senator's strong stand on trade."

"We also believe that Senator Edwards will have a great appeal in a general election," McCarron continued. "He has the ability to reach out to moderate voters, including the members of our union, and to address their very real concerns about jobs, health care and the economy."

Senator Edwards believes that in order to strengthen the middle class and build one America, we need to strengthen the union movement in our country. He has traveled across the country to walk picket lines and has helped organize thousands of workers into unions. Edwards is a strong supporter of workers' rights and has laid out a comprehensive agenda to help working families, which includes raising the minimum wage, guaranteeing universal health care, enacting smart and safe trade policies and protecting a worker's right to organize.

"More than ever, America needs a president who will stand up for working families and the middle class," Edwards said. "I have walked picket lines and helped organize thousands of workers, and I've seen firsthand what unions go through every single day trying to protect the right to organize, trying to bargain collectively, and trying to get a decent wage and health care. If we're going to grow the middle class and ensure fairness, we need to strengthen workers' rights. I have always stood on the side of working Americans, and I always will."

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Paid for by John Edwards for President.

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CLINTON CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

International Association of Machinists and

Aerospace Workers Endorses Clinton

The Clinton Campaign today announced the endorsement of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The IAM is among the nation’s largest industrial trade unions, representing over 700,000 active and retired members in airline, aerospace, manufacturing, railroad, woodworking and shipbuilding industries, and is a member of the AFL-CIO.

“Hillary Clinton earned the IAM’s endorsement by focusing on jobs, health care, education and trade – the bread and butter issues of the American middle class,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. “She is the only candidate of either party to come forward with a comprehensive manufacturing policy and the only candidate to connect with millions of Americans who feel invisible to the current administration.”

The IAM will launch a massive education campaign among IAM members and extensive publicity in union publications and websites nationwide. Twenty-five states with over 450,000 active and retired IAM members will vote in the three weeks starting with the Iowa caucuses and ending with the polls closing in California on February 5th

“I am honored to receive the support of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers,” Clinton said. “It is time for America’s working families to again share in our nation’s prosperity. They will not be invisible to my administration.”

The United Transportation Union and its 125,000 active and retired members endorsed Clinton earlier this week.

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By BETH FOUHY
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — The International Association of Fire Fighters is set to endorse Democrat Chris Dodd for president, turning down better-known contenders in favor of a long-standing Senate ally whose campaign has struggled to gain traction.
Union president Harold Schaitberger was expected to announce the endorsement at a news conference in Washington Wednesday morning. Dodd and Schaitberger were then scheduled to travel together to Iowa for a full day of appearances Thursday, followed by joint campaign events in New Hampshire on Friday and Nevada on Saturday.
In an interview, Schaitberger said the Connecticut senator had earned the 280,000-member union’s backing because of his experience and longtime support of firefighters in Congress.
“He’s done more than vote right and be supportive — he’s really carried our water and been proactive on our behalf,” Schaitberger said. “And the other reason is that I really think he has the experience. Our board gave a lot of thought to this. He has the experience and the strength to lead this country in what we know is going to be tough times.”
The endorsement was a significant boost for Dodd, a 25-year Senate veteran whose presidential bid has been almost completely eclipsed by the star power of Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.
Dodd has remained in single digits in most national and state polls.
IAFF is the nation’s largest and most influential firefighters union, with a history of supporting both Republican and Democratic candidates. Presidential contenders of both parties actively sought IAFF’s backing this year, thanks to the union’s organizing ability and firefighters’ enhanced status in the public eye since their heroics after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
The union’s endorsement was credited with reviving Democrat John Kerry’s moribund campaign in late 2003, when he was stuck in single digits in most polls. Firefighters turned out in force to campaign for Kerry in early voting states such as New Hampshire, providing a burst of momentum that helped him win the party’s nomination in 2004.
In an interview, Dodd said he was “deeply grateful” for the endorsement and pointed to Kerry’s experience as key.
“They know how to win elections, and they’ll put lots of boots on the ground. This is an important election, and they know it,” Dodd said. “They’ve made it clear it would be about the future — who could win the election, fight for middle class, and bring people together to get the job done.”
Earlier in the day, Clinton picked up the endorsement of the 125,000-member United Transportation Union.

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By JESSE J. HOLLAND
AP Labor Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United Transportation Union on Tuesday endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination for president, the first national union endorsement of the 2008 campaign.
“The UTU has a long history of picking winners early. Hillary will be a president that America’s working families can count on. Time and again, as a United States senator, she has stood with us,” UTU President Paul Thompson said in a statement.
Clinton is leading in national polls for the Democratic nomination. She said that she was honored to get the endorsement.
“America’s workers have been invisible to this administration, and it’s time they had an advocate in the White House,” said the New York senator.
The UTU, which calls itself the largest railroad operating union in North America, represents 125,000 active and retired members in the railroad, bus and public transit industries.
The UTU also is one of the top political donors in organized labor, contributing $1.3 million in the 2004 federal elections, with 84 percent of the money going to Democratic candidates. The union gave $1.2 million in the 2006 elections, with 89 percent directed to the Democrats in a year in which the party reclaimed the House and Senate from the Republicans.
UTU was fourth on the Center for Responsive Politics’ list of top transportation union contributors to political candidates.
All eight Democratic candidates have been courting the unions, participating in the AFL-CIO forum in Chicago earlier this month and touting their efforts to improve the lives of workers.
“Hillary Clinton’s record has been friendly to working men and women of this country. She consistently has endorsed the necessity of a strong middle class,” said the UTU’s incoming president, Mike Futhey Jr. “The UTU will encourage its 125,000 active and retired members to support Hillary and other labor friendly candidates in 2008.”
Several unions are expected to jump into the Democratic nomination fray as Labor Day approaches. The AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor federation, has decided not to immediately endorse any of the Democratic candidates, freeing the federation’s 55 member unions to endorse whoever they want.
For candidates, unions are critical for the money and the foot soldiers they can provide.
In the 2004 elections, organized labor gave $53.6 million to Democratic candidates and party committees, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That amount increased to $66 million for the 2006 elections and is expected to increase again for 2008.

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EDWARDS CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

ON FINAL DAY OF THE ‘FIGHTING FOR ONE AMERICA’ BUS TOUR, EDWARDS OUTLINES HIS BOLD PLAN TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ AND IMPROVE CARE FOR VETERANS
Manchester -- Today, the Edwards family will conclude their four-day ‘Fighting for One America’ bus tour across New Hampshire. Senator John Edwards discussed his bold plan to end the war in Iraq and improve medical care and the disability claims process for veterans.

"Elizabeth and I really enjoyed this tour and thank the people of New Hampshire for their hospitality," Edwards said. "This was a great opportunity to talk to people across the state and to ask for their support in this effort to bring about the real change our country needs.

“We need to change course in our foreign policy and end the war in Iraq and bring our soldiers home to the hero’s welcome they deserve,” Edwards continued. “That includes honoring the ‘Sacred Contract’ we have with our soldiers and veterans to provide them with the best possible medical care and process for providing disability benefits.”

There are currently about 140,000 veterans living in New Hampshire. 171 have been wounded and 19 killed in Iraq from New Hampshire.

Edwards continues to drive the Democratic agenda with his specific ideas to transform our country. While Washington continues to offer only rhetoric, empty talk and half-measures, Edwards is offering courage, conviction and bold ideas to build one America.

NOTE: A fact sheet on Edwards’ bold plan is below. More details can be found at http://johnedwards.com/issues/iraq

Standing by Our Heroes: John Edwards’ 5-point Plan to Help Injured Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

"I believe in a sacred contract between our country and America's veterans and military families. We must stand by those who stand by us. When our service men and women sacrifice so much to defend our freedom and secure peace around the world, we have a moral obligation to take care of them and their families." - John Edwards

Under George Bush, our government has not lived up to its responsibility to the men and women who have been injured while serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan - wars that have already generated more than 220,000 disability claims.. The scandal at Walter Reed is only one example of a consistent failure to take responsibility for those who have sacrificed for our country. Too often, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who fought for our country encounter a system that takes months or even years to make benefit determinations, and that forces them to fight again for benefits. [LA Times, 7/24/2007]

The Washington Post recently reported on Army Specialist Jeans Cruz, one of the team who helped capture Saddam Hussein. He was called a war hero when he came home to his country. He soon suffered debilitating depression from his experiences in Iraq. After filing a claim for disability benefits based on post-traumatic stress disorder, he was turned down by the VA because they said his psychological problems existed before joining the Army. He told the paper, "My experience so far is, you ask for something and they deny, deny, deny. After a while you just give up." [Washington Post, 6/17/07]

John Edwards will not give up on our veterans. He believes we can do better through reforms that will help our injured warriors and make government work more efficiently and effectively.

Edwards has previously announced a plan to repair our country's Sacred Contract with our veterans and military families by guaranteeing quality health care, supporting military families and providing education and economic opportunities for civilian life. Today, Edwards built on his existing Sacred Contract proposal with a new 5-point "Standing by Our Heroes" plan to help returning service men and women with disabilities by:

Aggressively Resolving the Disability Claims Backlog: The VA currently has a backlog of between 400,000 and 600,000 claims for disability benefits, and wait times for initial determinations of up to 6 months. Edwards would adopt an aggressive, goal-oriented approach to processing the backlog. As president, he will aim to process the entire backlog that exists when he takes office by Memorial Day 2009, and will cut the average processing time in half. [CNN, 2007]

Facilitating Care for "Signature Injuries": Over 30 percent of these veterans experience psychological problems after returning home. Many veterans suffer from the "signature injuries" of this war—post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). As president, Edwards will increase capacity within the Department of Defense for recognizing and addressing these injuries by improving training for health personnel to recognize and treat PTSD and TBI, increasing counseling resources within the TRICARE and VA networks, permitting access outside of the networks, and ensuring outreach to family members, who can recognize symptoms. [Department of Defense 2007]

Providing a Comprehensive Medical Examination: Too often, veterans receive their first medical examination months or even years after they leave the service, which makes it difficult to ascertain whether an injury is service-related, creating difficulties and inefficiencies later. As president, Edwards will create a new system providing each service member with a comprehensive, standardized medical examination before or immediately after leaving the service, and will link that examination with the disability rating. Both will be included in a new "Homefront Redeployment Plan" every veteran will receive.

Fixing the DOD/VA Disconnect: Today, veterans face a bureaucratic maze with two different agencies and needless overlaps. The Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense have conflicting criteria and overlapping disability determinations. As president, Edwards will have only the VA make disability determinations, and will launch a broad effort to coordinate all DOD and VA functions.

Increasing Caseworkers and Training: Caseworkers provide an extremely valuable service to veterans facing a thicket of regulations and forms, particularly older veterans unfamiliar with web-based forms. Caseworkers also help families struggling with consequences of an injury. As president, Edwards will hire at least 300 more VA caseworkers, and implement an accelerated training program including family outreach.

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RICHARDSON CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

Richardson Moves Up in New Iowa Poll
SANTA FE, NM -- Governor Bill Richardson is at 14 percent, within striking distance of all three frontrunners, in the latest poll out of Iowa.

The poll of 600 likely Democratic caucus-goers was conducted by Strategic Vision between August 17th and 19th. The poll shows Senators Edwards, Obama, and Clinton bunched together at 23, 22, and 21 percent, respectively. Joe Biden drew the support of 5 percent, with Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich at 1 percent each.

"It's an easy equation for our campaign. The more Iowans that meet Governor Richardson, the more support we get in the state," said campaign manager Dave Contarino.

The poll follows Governor Richardson's six-day trip through the Hawkeye State, where he released his plan for jobs and the economy and delivered a widely praised performance at the ABC/DNC Presidential Debate in Des Moines.

"Governor Richardson's grassroots campaigning is paying off. Voters are seeing that Governor Richardson is the candidate of both change and experience," said Contarino. "We are gaining traction in polls across the country, and particularly in the early primary states."

Recent polls for the ONE Campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire confirm that Governor Richardson is in the double-digits in those key states. The latest poll of Nevada, by Research 2000, shows that Governor Richardson has climbed into the double-digits in Nevada, as well.

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DODD CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

DODD LAYS OUT PLAN TO PROTECT AMERICAN HOMEOWNERS
Builds on Record of Proven Leadership on the Issue

WASHINGTON - Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd today released a comprehensive plan to protect American homeownership. Saying that we needed proven leadership to address the issue, Dodd laid out a plan that would help keep Americans affected by the mortgage crisis in their homes through immediate action and proposed structural reform of the system to ensure that families have access to affordable mortgages in the long run.

"Homeownership is the cornerstone of the American dream and essential to the strength of a healthy and vibrant middle class," said Dodd. "It will take proven leadership that knows the issue and how to get things done, if we are going to get immediate action to help families threatened with foreclosure in the wake of the subprime mess and forge long term solutions to keep home loans affordable."

In his capacity as Senate Banking Committee Chairman and with his skill for bringing together leaders to find solutions to the most complex and pressing problems, Chris Dodd has already started to work to put the subprime mortgage market back on track. Earlier this week, he convened a meeting with Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson and received a positive response that was reflected in the markets.

Dodd's plan for Affordable Home Mortgages is below and available at www.chrisdodd.com.

Keeping the American Dream Alive: Affordable Home Mortgages

Chris Dodd has been the leading voice in trying to fix the subprime mortgage lending crisis that threatens the American Dream of homeownership. Foreclosure rates are at record highs, and millions of hard-working Americans face the prospect of losing their homes because they were victimized by unscrupulous lending practices.

Years of predatory lending practices in the subprime market have led to this crisis that is harming not only homeowners, but also harming the economy as a whole. Chris Dodd has been fighting to end these practices, in which lenders and brokers have pushed unaffordable, costly and abusive loans on unsuspecting borrowers. As Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Dodd is doing everything in his power to help Americans avoid foreclosures in the present, and unscrupulous lending in the future.

We need that same type of leadership at the Presidential level. That's why Chris Dodd has called on President Bush to take immediate action to help keep people in their homes. But unfortunately, the President has failed to use the power he has to help Americans keep their homes.

Chris Dodd understands that homeownership is the cornerstone of the American dream, and has a plan to keep people in their homes and to ensure that families have access to affordable home mortgages.

Immediate Action

Dodd has worked for immediate action to address the current crisis and keep people in their homes:

? Chris Dodd believes we need to focus immediate help on the millions of American homeowners who are currently trapped in these unaffordable subprime loans. After Dodd convened a Homeownership Preservation Summit this spring, a number of the largest lenders and servicers pledged to modify loans as much as possible to help homeowners keep their homes. Now it is even more essential for servicers to work with borrowers to make loans affordable going forward, both for the sake of families and to avoid flooding the already glutted market with more homes for sale. Dodd helped secure $100 million in the 2008 HUD appropriations bill for this purpose.

? The Federal Reserve Board must continue to be vigilant about maintaining liquidity in our capital markets so that banks can offer credit to homeowners. Its intervention over the past two weeks has had an overall positive effect, and Chris Dodd believes it should not hesitate to continue to act and use all the tools it has in its power to help homeowners.

? Chris Dodd has called on the President to raise the portfolio limits imposed on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and to do so in a way that is consistent with safe, sound and pro-consumer practices. This step can help inject some badly needed liquidity into the mortgage market. All major housing industry groups have joined Dodd in calling for cap relief.

Fundamental reform

As President, Dodd would make fundamental reforms to the system to ensure affordable and safe mortgages in the long term:

Chris Dodd will continue to insist that the Federal Reserve Board and its fellow federal financial regulators fulfill their statutory duty to prohibit reckless subprime lending practices. Dodd has held hearings to highlight this problem and to push regulators to address these abusive practices. This step would not only help borrowers, but would also create greater certainty in the subprime market for lenders as well as investors. If the Fed does not act, Dodd will not hesitate to address this issue with Congressional action.

Chris Dodd will modernize the Federal Housing Authority. Strengthening FHA will create cheaper, safer, more consumer-friendly mortgages for subprime borrowers. Dodd is working to move this legislation this fall, and will continue his efforts under a Dodd administration.

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BIDEN CAMPAIGN URGES MICHIGAN GOVERNOR AND SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE TO OPPOSE REPUBLICAN INTERFERENCE WITH DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION PROCESS

Wilmington, DE (August 24, 2007) -- Two days after Michigan Senate Democrats opposed a Republican bill to break the window established by the Democratic National Committee, the Biden for President Campaign again called on Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Speaker of the House Rick Johnson to defeat the Republican efforts, which began with Mitt Romney’s supporters in Florida.

"The effect of this effort would be to place a greater emphasis on paid media rather than traditional retail politics in the early caucus and primary states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina" said Biden for President Campaign Manager Luis Navarro. "The retail politics in these states represents our finest American political traditions and ensures that all the candidates are challenged on the most important issues of the day like Iraq, education or health care. Voters deserve more than a thirty second sound bite, they deserve a real conversation."

"Sen. Joe Biden is urging Michigan's Democratic leaders to take every possible measure to defeat this bill in the House" Navarro said.

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By PHILIP ELLIOTT
Associated Press Writer

HANOVER (AP) — Presidential hopeful John Edwards said Thursday the Washington establishment is corrupt and suggested — without mentioning her by name — that rival Hillary Rodham Clinton has been part of that corroded system.
Edwards’ new stump speech, centered on a a need for change and aimed at his top two rivals, comes just before Labor Day, the traditional start of the primary nominating season in this state where he has seen his polling standing slip in recent months.
“Real change starts with being honest, and I want to say something again: The system in Washington is rigged, and I’ll say it again, it’s rigged and it’s rigged by greedy powers,” Edwards said Thursday.
“It’s rigged by the system to favor the establishment,” he said at Dartmouth College.
Edwards, traveling with his wife and his three children for a four-day tour, blasted policy based on political calculation.
“Timidity will kill us. ’Careful, cautious, let’s look at the polls to see what America will accept’ — I’m tired of baby steps. We’ve been tippy-toeing around for too long,” he said in Peterborough.
What Edwards called “the rhetoric of change” is popular among all the Democratic candidates. Sen. Barack Obama uses the notion throughout his campaign. One of Clinton’s slogans is, “Ready for change, ready to lead.”
“The American people deserve to know that their presidency is not for sale. The Lincoln Bedroom is not for rent,” Edwards said to applause at Dartmouth, referencing a Clinton-era controversy in which high-dollar donors were allowed to stay in the White House’s famed bedroom.
Edwards said the past isn’t going to solve today’s problems or “a corrupt a corroded system.”
“Those wed to the policies of the ’70s, ’80s or the ’90s are wedded to the past, ideas and policies that are tired, shopworn and obsolete. We will find no answers there,” he said.
Clinton served as first lady during most of the 1990s.
Edwards later said he didn’t mean to target Clinton during his new stump speech, but her campaign felt otherwise.
“Angry attacks on other Democrats won’t improve Senator Edwards’ flagging campaign,” said Clinton spokeswoman Kathleen Strand. “Senator Clinton has the leadership and experience to make real change happen, and she has been fighting for American families for 35 years.”
Edwards said voters have a choice: “Either move forward boldly into the future for our children ... or the alternative, which is to stay in the same stale direction, which we’ve been traveling in the recent past.”
Edwards’ speech, his toughest yet against his top rivals, sought to draw clearer lines between himself and better-polling Democrats.
“Small thinking and outdated answers aren’t the only problems with a vision for the future that is rooted in nostalgia,” Edwards said. “The trouble with nostalgia is that you tend to remember what you liked — am I right? — and you forget what you didn’t. It’s not just that the answers of the past aren’t up to the job today, it’s that the system that produced them was corrupt — and it still is corrupt.”
He said voters can’t simply “replace one group of corporate Republicans with a group of corporate Democrats, just swapping the Washington insiders of one party for the Washington insiders of the other.”
Edwards was gentler on Obama, although he also was on the former North Carolina senator’s mind.
“When I hear political candidates talk about the rhetoric of change, I think, ’Oh God, here we go again,’” Edwards told voters in Peterborough, challenging his Democratic rivals’ ownership of the word at the start a four-day swing through New Hampshire.
“How many times have voters in New Hampshire heard politicians come rolling through here saying that they want change?” Edwards said. “That’s great. What do they really want to do as the president of the United States?”
An Obama spokesman said Edwards misunderstands the situation.
“Barack Obama has pledged to enact the most sweeping ethics reform in history on his first day in office, and he has introduced substantive proposals that outline exactly where he wants to take this country as president,” Reid Cherlin said. “But just as important, he believes that if we’re going to make progress on the key issues that we face, we’re going to have to change our politics in a fundamental way.”
Edwards has not given a “good government” speech yet this campaign, but in 2004 spoke out against what he calls the “revolving door” between top government posts and lobbying offices.
At an appearance in Keene, he said any candidate who promises instant change either doesn’t understand the system or isn’t being honest.
“It’s just not the truth. It’s a fantasy and all of you know it’s a fantasy,” he said.
Obama foes have said that despite his pledge for change, he lacks sufficient experience to win his party’s nomination or the presidency. It was a question the first-term senator from Illinois sought to quiet during a trip earlier this week to New Hampshire.
A Republican National Committee spokeswoman said she recognized Edwards’ message.
“Voters have long recognized John Edwards as the change candidate in this race, after he flip-flopped from being a staunch war-on-terror supporter to a liberal protester,” said Amber Wilkerson.
John and Elizabeth Edwards left the bus all day to the strains of Sheryl Crow’s “A Change Will Do You Good.”

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By HOLLY RAMER
Associated Press Writer

LEBANON (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton rolled out the second stage of her health care policy Thursday, promising to improve quality by raising standards for providers, educating patients and requiring insurers to reward innovation.
“Too often, and in too many places, our health care system hurts us instead of helps us,” Clinton said at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. “It hurts doctors, who aren’t rewarded for providing the best care and are often punished for it financially. It hurts nurses who are asked to work longer hours, caring for more patients with fewer resources. And it hurts patients, who are forced to make complicated medical decisions without basic information about their conditions and options.”
While rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards both have proposed detailed health care reform plans, Clinton is taking an incremental approach. She started with a speech in June on reducing costs, followed by Thursday’s address on quality, and will outline her plan for universal health care coverage next month.
“My order here is deliberate,” she said. “In order to forge a consensus on universal health care, we need to assure people that they will get the quality they expect at a cost they can afford.”
To improve quality, Clinton said she would promote physician certification programs that help doctors keep up with the latest advancements in their fields by increasing Medicare reimbursements for doctors who participate in them. Nursing care would get a boost in the form of $300 million to expand enrollment in nursing schools, create mentoring programs for recent graduates and recruit more minorities into the profession.
“The nursing shortage has become a nursing crisis, and that means it is a crisis for everyone,” Clinton said. “Our nurses are truly the eyes and ears, and in many ways the heart and soul of our health care system. When we’ve got fewer nurses, working longer hours and serving more patients, the result can be worse outcomes.”
Patients, too, can play a role in improving the quality of health care they receive, she said, if they were given more information about their treatment options. She praised Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Center for Shared Decision Making, saying she would like to see similar programs nationwide.
Clinton also called for overhauling a reimbursement system that she said often punishes doctors for doing the right thing — spending time with patients or working with their colleagues to take a collaborative approach. She proposes higher payments to providers who use teams to provide coordinated care and ending payments for preventable infections and injuries sustained during hospital stays.
“We need a system that encourages instead of discourages quality,” she said.

Posted by Michael McCord at 04:50 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

AARP Press Release

Divided We Fail Issue Poll Shows AARP New Hampshire Members

Likely to Change Candidate Preferences As They Learn More About Positions on Health and Financial Security
74% of potential Democratic primary voters and 81% of potential Republican primary voters say they are likely to change their vote as they learn more about the issues.

Concord – Divided We Fail announced it is conducting issue polls in New Hampshire to assess AARP New Hampshire members’ opinions on how well the Presidential candidates are addressing the issues of health and financial security. Results show that likely New Hampshire voters feel they don’t have enough information about particular candidates and are still uncertain where the candidates stand on the Divided We Fail issues of health care and financial security.

“This poll indicates that candidates must do a better job of discussing health care and financial security with these New Hampshire voters,” said AARP New Hampshire State Director Kelly Clark. “With nearly 80% percent of AARP members in New Hampshire polled saying they are undecided on their candidate of choice, this election could hinge on how candidates address these key issues.”

Surveying 500 AARP members likely to attend the Republican caucuses or primaries and 500 AARP members likely to attend the Democratic caucuses or primaries in Iowa, South Carolina, Florida, Nevada, and New Hampshire, the issue poll asks questions on health care and financial security, issue landscape and the mood of the country.

“It is clear that in New Hampshire, Republicans and Democrats will give health care and financial security significant weight when making their decision on whom to vote for in the upcoming presidential primary,” said Divided We Fail New Hampshire Campaign Manager Lance Kilpatrick. “In fact, 89% of Republicans and 97% of Democrats rated health care important and 92% of Democrats and 93% of Republicans rated financial security important.”

Over the next quarter, Divided We Fail will conduct simultaneous polls – in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada -- leading up to the New Hampshire primary, with the next poll expected in October. The polls will enable Divided We Fail to track the opinions of AARP members in the early primary/caucus states as debates proceed and candidates clarify their positions on the issues.

The Election Issue Surveys can be found at www.dividedwefail.org/polls.

Divided We Fail and AARP are monitoring the number of health and financial security questions asked during the Presidential debates. For more information about Divided We Fail and the debate, log onto the Divided We Fail debate tracker at www.dividedwefail.org.

Posted by Michael McCord at 11:26 AM| Permalink | Comments (0)

By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN
AP Political Writer
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state Senate passed a bill Wednesday setting up a Jan. 15 presidential primary, but Michigan Democrats continued to fight among themselves over whether to hold a primary or a caucus.
The bill passed 21-17, with all Republicans voting for it and all Democrats voting against.
State Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer said the bill contains language that doesn’t comply with national Democratic rules, so it’s unacceptable. The bill is expected to be changed once it reaches the Democrat-controlled House.
If Michigan moves to a Jan. 15 primary, it’s likely Iowa and New Hampshire would move up their first-in-the-nation contests.
A number of prominent Michigan Democratic political leaders, including Gov. Jennifer Granholm, favor holding a closed presidential primary with the Republicans. State GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis has agreed on a Jan. 15 presidential primary if Democrats can agree to hold one.
But not all Michigan Democrats favor a primary. Backers of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards want to hold a caucus because they think that will increase the influence of union members who back him.
U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, a Menominee Democrat who supports Edwards, said in a letter released Tuesday night that he opposes a presidential primary.
He didn’t mention Edwards, instead saying it would be irresponsible to hold an expensive, state-paid presidential primary at a time when the Michigan budget is so strapped. If a primary wasn’t held, the state Democratic Party would pay the costs of a caucus, while the state GOP would pick up the tab for a presidential nominating convention.
“It is inappropriate for the state legislature to vote to fund an unnecessary political presidential primary and then ask taxpayers to increase their taxes because the state is broke!” Stupak wrote. He said he’d support a statewide primary only if the cost was borne by the presidential candidates or state party organizations.
Democratic leaders who support a primary were drafting their own letter saying the cost of a primary was worth it because voter turnout would be so much higher.
More than 1 million people voted in Michigan’s 1992 presidential primaries, compared to about 160,000 who voted in the Democratic presidential caucuses in 2004, a year in which no GOP primary was held. About 5,000 GOP delegates would choose a Republican nominee at a state convention next year if a joint primary isn’t held.
As Michigan took another step toward a Jan. 15 primary, South Carolina Democratic Chairwoman Carol Fowler said she would not ask to move her state’s primary date. The calendar jumping is an issue the Democratic National Committee’s rules committee will take up this weekend, she said.
South Carolina Democrats are scheduled to hold their primary Jan. 29 — the same day as Florida, which moved up its primary despite a threat from both national parties that they would withhold half the state’s delegates to next summer’s national conventions.
South Carolina Republicans recently leapfrogged Florida and move their primary to Jan. 19 from Feb. 2 to maintain their first-in-the-South status. South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson says he’s not moving his party’s primary regardless of what Michigan does.
“As long as we’re first in the South, we’re solid on the 19th,” he said. “If a Southern state tries to move before our historical preference of the first primary in the South, we’re prepared to move — and we can move — on an hour’s notice.”
He’s irked, however, that South Carolina’s primary now may end up in Michigan’s shadow. If Michigan moves, it may mean he has to set a different date for the final pre-primary presidential debate in South Carolina.
No date has been publicly announced, but “I’m thinking about moving the date right now,” Dawson said.

Posted by Michael McCord at 02:32 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

BIDEN CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

BIDEN ISSUES STATEMENT ON MICHIGAN’S EFFORT TO MOVE UP IN THE PRIMARY CALENDAR

Wilmington, DEL. -- Before departing Iowa after a weeklong stay, Senator Joe Biden today issued the following statement regarding the attempt by Michigan to circumvent the primary calendar and move its date to January 15, 2008.

“Powerful interests are trying to change the Democratic nomination for President into a game of Monopoly, replacing the retail politics of Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire with a process in which the only credential necessary to be President is to be the wealthiest candidate.

Under the current calendar, voters can regularly meet candidates in their homes, town halls and diners. This provides an almost one on one opportunity to hold candidates accountable for their ideas and records for solving the most pressing issues facing this country. The communities of Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire provide a diverse array of voters and a level playing field for candidates to compete in, as a lead up to the larger states which will decide who the next Democratic nominee will be for President.

I call upon all of my fellow Democratic candidates to reaffirm their support for the retail role Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire and publicly ask their supporters, such as Democratic Senate Leader Mark Schauer, and Governor Granholm to oppose any attempts to break the Democratic National Committee’s “calendar window” as Republicans did in Florida on behalf of Mitt Romney.”

Posted by Michael McCord at 05:57 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

OBAMA CAMPAIGN Press Release

Congressman Patrick Murphy Endorses
Barack Obama for President
Only Iraq War veteran in Congress praises Obama’s ability to bring about change
CHI CAGO, IL — Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA), the first and only Iraq War Veteran to serve in Congress, announced today his endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President. Congressman Murphy is a recipient of the Bronze Star and former West Point professor.
“When I returned from Baghdad, I saw that we needed to go in a new direction -- both here at home and in Iraq. I am inspired by Senator Obama's call to service and believe he is best suited to bring about the changes we need in our country,” Murphy said. “Senator Obama truly wants to unite America and speaking as a former Captain in the 82nd Airborne Division, I know that he has the judgment we need to be our next Commander-in- Chief.”
Congressman Patrick Murphy deployed twice after 9/11, first in Bosnia (2002) and then in Baghdad (2003-2004). He also taught constitutional law at West Point. After un-seating the Republican incumbent to represent Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district in 2006, Congressman Murphy was asked to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, and as the only freshman congressman on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In Congress he has worked with Senator Barack Obama on the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007 to stop troop addition and develop a plan to redeploy American troops.
“I’m honored to have Congressman Murphy’s endorsement,” Obama said. “ Congressman Murphy is a part of the new generation of American leaders that’s bringing a fresh voice to our nation’s capitol. He knows that we need fundamental change in our politics and our foreign policy if we want to make the progress America so desperately needs.”
Congressman Murphy’s endorsement comes as Senator Obama prepares to address the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Kansas City, MO later today. Obama will discuss his agenda to ensure that America’s military continues to be the strongest fighting force in the world, and to make certain we honor our nation’s sacred trust to care for veterans and their families, both commitments he shares with Congressman Murphy and a cause that has guided his work on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

Posted by Michael McCord at 12:21 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

CLINTON CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

New Hampshire for Hillary Announces Environmental Leadership

MANCHESTER, NH – On the heels of another strong debate performance this weekend where Hillary Clinton displayed once again she has the leadership and experience to bring about the change this country needs, the New Hampshire for Hillary Campaign today announced the launch of Environmental Leaders for Hillary. The group of 12 environmental activists and community leaders represent communities across the Granite State.

“Our country needs an experienced leader who understands the importance of developing strong and effective policies on energy and the environment. In order for there to be real change at this profound moment of challenge for our nation, there must be experienced leadership,” said Alice Chamberlin, New Hampshire Co-chair of Environmental Leaders for Hillary. “Senator Clinton has championed legislation that encourages development of alternative energy technologies and reduces our dependence on foreign oil.”

On July 24, in Portsmouth, NH, Hillary participated in a forum on energy and the environment. There she announced that as part of her plan to address global warming, she would create a “Green Building Fund” (GBF). Through the fund, the federal government would allocate $1 billion annually to states to make grants or low-interest loans to improve energy efficiency in public buildings, such as schools, police stations, firehouses and offices. The GBF will create as many as 50,000 new “green collar” jobs.

In addition, Hillary introduced a plan to Congress to create a Strategic Energy Fund that would inject $50 billion into research, development, and deployment of renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal technology, ethanol and other homegrown biofuels, and more. Hillary also supports policies to reduce carbon emissions and other pollution that contribute to global warming.

“Energy efficiency is the cheapest, cleanest, fastest technology we have to cut energy use and reduce emissions. If we do this right, it can be a win, win for our economy and our environment,” said Senator Clinton. “I am honored to have such dedicated environmental leaders join my campaign," said Senator Clinton.

New Hampshire Environmental Leaders for Hillary:

Alice Chamberlin – Co-chair, Former Environmental Policy Advisor to Gov. John Lynch, former Executive Director of the Environmental Law Council at Franklin Pierce Law Center, former Chair of the New Hampshire Nature Conservancy, Warner, NH

State Representative Peter Allen - Former State Senator and retired State Research Forester, Member of the Environment and Agriculture Committee
Bob Backus – Attorney, 2006 State Senate Candidate, Board Member Conservation Law Foundation, Manchester, NH

Nick Cohen – New Hampshire Sierra Club Board Member, Plainfield, NH

Joyce El Kouarti – Environmental Activist, Dover, NH
State Representative Tom Fargo –Former Chair of Strafford County Planning
Commission, Dover, NH

Sandy Gavutis – Environmental Activist, Kensington, NH

Bob Larsen – Board Member, The Nature Conservancy, Concord, NH

Martha West Lyman – Carbon Coalition Board Member (Individual not organization), Manchester, NH

Patricia Schlesinger – Board Member, New Hampshire Rivers Council, New Hampton, NH

Craig Welch – Chair of the Board for New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), Durham, NH

Rawson Wood – Former Board Member of Squam Lakes Association, NH Audubon Society and National Audubon Society, Center Harbor, NH

Posted by Michael McCord at 01:04 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

Biden Campaign PRESS RELEASE

BIDEN CAMPAIGN DEBUTS FIRST TV ADS IN IOWA
Des Moines, Iowa -- This morning, the Biden Campaign launched its first television ads, a 30-second ad entitled “Cathedral”, which debuted during the debate on ABC and a 60-second ad, entitled “Security”, which will begin airing today on all major networks in Iowa.

In “Cathedral”, Sen. Biden recounts a story from one of his seven trips to Iraq, during which he found himself on a C-130 transport plane with a flag-draped coffin. Sen. Biden describes the sacred commitment he felt to our troops during that moment. That moment manifested itself in Sen. Biden’s successful effort in Congress earlier this year to secure funding for new mine resistant vehicles for our troops in Iraq.

In “Security”, Sen. Biden lays out the case for why his leadership qualities and life experiences prepare him to be Commander-In-Chief and President of the United States. The current campaign is scheduled to run through Labor Day weekend at a cost of approximately a quarter of a million dollars.

To view the ads, click here: www.joebiden.com

Posted by Michael McCord at 06:00 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

EDWARDS CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

AS SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS' NEW HAMPSHIRE BUS TOUR APPROACHES, GRASSROOTS SUPPORT CONTINUES TO GROW ACROSS THE STATE

33 Manchester and Southern Tier Grassroots Leaders and Activists Support Senator Edwards' Leadership and Bold Ideas

(Manchester, NH) - Today, the John Edwards for President Campaign announced that 33 grassroots activists have endorsed Senator John Edwards for President and will form Regional Leadership Committees. As Edwards' "Fighting for One America" New Hampshire bus tour rapidly approaches, his grassroots support across the state continues to grow.

"I am honored to have the support of these New Hampshire leaders and activists," said Edwards. "They share my vision of One America that works for everyone, One America where every person who works hard can get ahead. Fighting together, we can bring real change to our country — change that families here in New Hampshire and across our country so desperately need."

Edwards continues to drive the Democratic agenda with his specific ideas to transform our country. While Washington continues to offer only rhetoric, empty talk and half-measures, Edwards is offering courage, conviction and bold ideas to build One America.

The endorsers include a State Representative, a former State Party Vice Chair, two Democratic Town Chairs, the Former President of the State Employees Association and 27 grassroots activists. These leaders join the 45-member Merrimack County Regional Leadership Committee that was announced Monday, the 57 endorsements from Claremont, Keene, and the Upper Valley that were announced Tuesday, the 37 endorsements from the Lake Region and North Country that were announced Wednesday, and the 28 endorsements from Nashua that were announced Thursday.

The John Edwards for President Campaign has so far announced 205 endorsements this week.

The New Hampshire bus tour will be from August 23-26. Please contact Kate Bedingfield for more information or to RSVP for the tour, kbedingfield@johnedwards.com.

The Following Manchester and Southern Tier Activists Have Endorsed John Edwards:

Brother Paul
Crawford
Social Worker, Manchester Catholic Charities

Tim
Decker
Fmr. President, State Employees Association

Joe
Donahue
Chair of the Derry Democrats

Patrick
Garrity
State Representative; Firefighter

Pauline
Gorgol
Salem Activist

Stanley
Gorgol
Salem Activist, Veteran

Jessica
Griffin
Londonderry Activist

Bob
Howe
Derry Activist

Linda
Hutchinson
Manchester Activist

Ethel
Kelley
Pelham Activist

Barbara
Klein
Londonderry Activist

Cindy
Linehan
Manchester Activist & teacher

Maureen
Manning
Attorney; Fmr. State Party Vice-Chair

Blaire
McCarthy
Windham Activist

Susan
McKeown
Manchester Activist

Patrick
McKeown
Manchester Activist

Jeff
Michelsen
VP, NH Coalition to End Homelessness

Bonnie
Murray
Derry Activist

Stephanie
Orr
Manchester Activist

David
Paquette
Iornworker Local 7, Hookset Activist

Bill
Perry
Hampstead Activist

Susan
Peterson
Newton Activist

Carmen
Polo
Manchester Activist; Medical Professional

Ron
Poltak
Auburn Environmentalist

Bernie
Resnick
Derry Activist, Veteran

Rubin
Russell
Sandown Activist

Deb
Sarnie
Salem Activist

Diane
Swasey
Manchester Ward 3 Democratic Chair

Donna
Thompson
Derry Activist

Patty
Veilluex
Atkinson Activist

Genie
Wallace
Atkinson Activist

Carolyn
Werner
Derry Activist

Brenda
Willis
Derry School Committee

Posted by Michael McCord at 05:09 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

Giuliani backs private school vouchers to improve education
By LIBBY QUAID
Associated Press Writer
MERRIMACK — Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani on Friday argued for taxpayer-funded vouchers for private elementary and secondary schools, saying school choice works for the nation’s colleges and universities.
People come from all over the world to attend college in the United States, Giuliani said at a town hall meeting in Merrimack, N.H.
“How is it that we have the best higher education in the world and a weaker K-through-12 system?” Giuliani said. “What’s the difference? Why does one operate so well and the other not nearly as well? American higher education is based on a quintessential American principle — choice.”
As mayor of New York, Giuliani backed vouchers for private and parochial schools in the face of opposition from his own schools chancellor.
“I’d give parents control over their children’s education,” Giuliani told the audience of about 150 people at a solar power products plant. “We’ve got to have competition operating. If we don’t do that, our education system is going to deteriorate.”
Giuliani stressed his desire to have private forces shape the country’s economy in education as well as in health care and Social Security. He said he supported President Bush’s unsuccessful proposal to allow people to invest some of their Social Security taxes in private accounts.
“I would have preferred, over my lifetime, if I could have invested some of that Social Security money myself,” said Giuliani, 63. “I think I would have done much better than the government did. I believe young people today, a lot of them feel that way. I think people who want a private option should be entitled to have it.”
He said people who want traditional Social Security with no private accounts should be allowed to have that, too. And he allowed that the issue “is going to have to be compromised out” because Democrats who control Congress oppose it.
Also Friday, Giuliani:
—Reiterated his support for abortion rights: “I believe we should reduce abortion and increase adoption, but in a society in which we don’t want government running people’s lives ... we should keep the government out of it. We should allow the mother ultimately to make those kinds of decisions.”
—Defended the Iraq war to a questioner who said nothing is being accomplished: “I think it’s a mistake, both substantively and emotionally, to tell the troops we’re accomplishing nothing in Iraq, and a very serious overstatement, which I think comes in a large way from the way the media covers it.”
—Said he would keep medical marijuana illegal. “I’ve asked the question before, checked with the FDA, which says marijuana has no additional medicinal benefits of any kind. Illegal trafficking in marijuana is so great, it makes much more sense to keep it illegal.”

Posted by Michael McCord at 04:47 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

OBAMA CAMPAIGN Press Release

Obama Campaign Announces “Dinner with Barack” Participants
Individuals Selected Represent Four Different States including California, Colorado, Florida and New Hampshire

Chicago, IL – The Obama for America campaign announced today that four supporters from Exeter, New Hampshire; Los Angeles, California; Lakewood, Colorado and Cocoa Beach, Florida have been selected to have dinner with Barack Obama. As part of the second Dinner with Barack Obama, the participants were selected from a group of thousands who submitted their personal stories along with a donation as small as $5 at barackobama.com. The first “Dinner with Barack” was held on July 10 in Washington, DC.

“Throughout this campaign, I have met with thousands of Americans who share their ideas about how to bring fundamental change to Washington and our country,” said Senator Obama. “I’m looking forward to hearing about the experiences of Gabrielle, Brittany, Dorothy and Michael, who know firsthand why our health care system must be reformed and why we must begin to safely redeploy our troops from Iraq. Turning the page on the great challenges facing our nation at home and around the world requires the input of everyday experts who confront hardships in their own lives.”

The dinner will take place in September. Transportation and accommodations will be paid for by the campaign.

Selected Participants:

Gabrielle Grossman of Exeter, New Hampshire Gabrielle worked as a 7th grade teacher but has recently become a stay-at-home mom. She has been volunteering for over a month for the campaign. The week she signed up to volunteer, she found out that her 2-year-old son was diagnosed with autism. The campaign has kept her motivated and energized throughout this tough time in her life. She adds, "At a time when you don't feel like you have a lot of hope, it's done the total opposite, the campaign has got us involved and given me more hope than ever.”

Continue reading "Exeter woman gets dinner with Obama" »

Posted by Michael McCord at 03:16 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

PRESS RELEASE
ONE Vote ‘08

Inaugural ONE Poll Shows Voters Want Candidates to Address Poverty, Global Health

NH Dems and Repubs Agree:

Next President Must Tackle Global Poverty and Health

Voters cite moral and national security concerns

WASHINGTON, D.C -- New Hampshire primary voters of both political parties agree that the next president should take the lead in fighting global poverty because it is both the moral thing to do and will make Americans more secure, according to the first-ever ONE Poll, released today.

Continue reading "Next President Must Tackle Global Poverty and Health" »

Posted by Michael McCord at 03:33 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)

By Miriam Jordan
The Wall Street Journal
Miami Before 2,000 people at the convention of a powerful Hispanic advocacy group recently, Sen. Barack Obama made a pitch for unity between African Americans and Hispanics. “Our separate struggles are really one,” the Illinois Democrat declared, quoting a telegram Martin Luther King Jr. sent in 1968 to farm-worker activist Cesar Chávez.

Continue reading "Getting to know Obama" »

Posted by Michael McCord at 11:54 AM| Permalink | Comments (0)

DODD CAMPAIGN PRESS RELEASE

WASHINGTON -- Today, the Dodd Campaign released the following statement on Mrs. Clinton's speech today in New Hampshire:

"We're glad that Mrs. Clinton is concerned about this important issue that Sen. Dodd has already taken leadership on. But addressing the crisis will require more than rhetoric on the campaign trail. That is why as Banking Chairman, Sen. Dodd has taken the reigns on this issue and plans to continue ensuring that American homeowners are not taken advantage of," said Dodd spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan.

Continue reading "Dodd critiques Clinton sub-prime lending speech" »

Posted by Michael McCord at 03:30 PM| Permalink | Comments (0)