04 Thursday Sep 2008
Posted in 2008, mcccain, media lizzy, Palin, politics, president, republican
Tags
Let me just. put. it. like. THIS:
YES.
Brilliant, spectacular and – if you thought LIberals were hysterical before – stand by.
She may very well be America’s Iron Lady.
—Media Lizzy
26 Tuesday Aug 2008
Posted in 2008, media lizzy, politics, republican
Tags
I am SO excited. Look for the names you don’t see… and that may constitute the short list.
—Media Lizzy
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The 2008 Republican National Convention today announced the names of additional speakers for the program of events that will run Sept. 1-4. The convention’s overall theme, “Country First,” reflects John McCain’s remarkable record of leadership and service to America. Each day of proceedings will center on a touchstone theme that has defined John McCain’s life and will be central to his vision for leading our nation forward as president.
“The 2008 Convention program will bring together Americans who will speak to John McCain’s vision for reforming our government, building prosperity and ensuring peace for future generations. We are excited about next week and we are looking forward to showcasing John McCain’s life-long record of putting his country first,” said Jill Hazelbaker, McCain 2008 communications director.
Among the new speakers announced today are Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio), U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist (Tenn.) and Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission Michael Williams. Their remarks will echo the themes that have been selected for each of the convention’s four days: service, reform, prosperity and peace.
“We are thrilled to announce our full program of speakers and program participants. We look forward to presenting a convention program that will share Senator McCain’s unparalleled record of experience and service with millions of Americans,” said Maria Cino, president and CEO of the 2008 Republican National Convention.
The program of events follows. Additions to the program appear with an asterisk (*).
Monday, Sept. 1
Service
“Love of country, my friends, is another way of saying love of your fellow countryman.”
–Sen. John McCain
John McCain’s commitment to his fellow Americans, a commitment forged in service to his country, is one of the defining hallmarks of his life. Monday’s events will highlight John McCain’s record of service and sacrifice and reflect his commitment to serving a cause greater than one’s own self-interest.
Speakers will include:
Program participants will include:
Tuesday, Sept. 2
Reform
“If you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you are disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and correct them.”
–Sen. John McCain
John McCain’s life is a testament to the fundamental truth that every American can be a force for change. A restless reformer who has dedicated his career to taking on special interests and the status quo, John McCain will deliver the right kind of change and reform to meet the great challenges of our time. On Tuesday, the convention program will underscore his vision of a government that is transparent, principled and worthy of the American people it serves.
Speakers will include:
Program participants will include:
Wednesday, Sept. 3
Prosperity
“America’s best days are still to come.”
–Sen. John McCain
The American story is one of perseverance. Even in the face of tough times, the ingenuity and spirit of the American people has ushered in a new era of prosperity. Wednesday’s program will focus on John McCain’s plans to get our economy back on track and continue our long tradition of meeting the challenges we face and using our prosperity to help others. The day will conclude with an address by the vice presidential nominee.
Speakers will include:
Program participants will include:
Thursday, Sept. 4
Peace
“Our next president will have a mandate to build an enduring global peace on the foundations of freedom, security, opportunity, prosperity, and hope.”
–Sen. John McCain
John McCain understands the challenges that America faces in the world and the sacrifice necessary to defend our freedom in a way that few others can fathom. Thursday’s events will reflect his vision of an America in pursuit of peace and seen as a beacon of goodwill and hope throughout the world. The evening will close with John McCain accepting the Republican Party’s nomination for the Presidency of the United States.
Program participants will include:
About the Republican National Convention
The 2008 Republican National Convention will be held at Saint Paul’s Xcel Energy Center from Sept. 1-4, 2008. Approximately 45,000 delegates, alternate delegates, volunteers, members of the media and other guests are expected to attend the convention. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is expected to receive an estimated $150-$160 million positive economic boost from the four-day event. For more information about the 2008 Republican National Convention, please visit our website at www.GOPConvention2008.com and join our social network sites on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.
20 Wednesday Aug 2008
Posted in 2008, politics, president, republican
Tags
bush, Cantor, Cheney, giuliani, GOP Convention, Jindal, lieberman, mccain, minneapolis, minnesota, Schwarzenegger
Per GOP Convention…here is the roster!
Monday, Sept. 1:
Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.)
Vice President Dick Cheney
Monday primetime (10 p.m.-11 p.m. EDT)
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.)
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush
Tuesday, Sept. 2:
Former Gov. Tom Ridge (R-Pa.)
Former California Secretary of State Rosario Marin
Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.)
Gov. Linda Lingle (R-Hawaii)
Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-Md.)
Tuesday primetime (10 p.m.-11p.m. EDT)
Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska)
Former Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.)
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani — KEYNOTER
Wednesday, Sept. 3:
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.)
Meg Whitman, Ebay CEO
Carly Fiorina, former HP CEO
Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.)
Wednesday primetime (10 p.m.-11p.m. EDT)
Cindy McCain
VP nominee
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La); will speak after the VP nominee
Thursday, Sept. 4
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.)
Gov. Charlie Crist (R-Fla.)
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas)
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla)
Thursday primetime (10 p.m.-11 p.m. EDT)
John McCain (video before his speech)
28 Monday Jul 2008
Posted in blogs, BlogTalkRadio, grassroots, Grasstops, Grizzly Groundswell, Heading Right Radio, HeadingRight, iRadio, media lizzy
Tags
GOP, GOP Convention, logistics, mccain, Media, minneapolis, NRCC, nrsc, press, RNC, st. paul, virginia, Xcel Center
Woohoo… just got off the first big ‘let’s get organized’ call with a roundup of Hosts/Bloggers at BlogTalkRadio and at the Grizzly Groundswell. All I can say right now: Hold on to your horses. Look for updates here, at HeadingRight.com and on my show at BTR. Dozens of people are going to get involved in this historic effort – and I am just as excited now as I was on my first GOP Convention in Philly 2000. (Thank you to The Honorable John Hager and my eclectic set of friends in the Old Dominion)
GOP Convention 2008 is shaping up to be the place where Old School and Good Ol Boy meet new Media. Or, as my fellow Blogstress General Rachel says: “this is where the Main Stream Media will intersect with Main Street Media.”
Just a few days ago, the Convention folks got the keys to the Xcel Center. Staff will begin moving into the offices gradually, so that when the gavel falls – everyone is headquartered inside the Arena. Fun!
08 Sunday Jun 2008
Posted in 2008, democrat, election, liberal, mccain, media lizzy, obama, politics, president, presidential, republican
Tags
barack, convention, denver, DNC, FEC, fundraise, minneapolis, RNC
So, latest FEC reports show Barack Obama with about $56 million cash on hand. The DNC has about $4 million. Together, that’s $60 million in the bank as we enter the general election campaign.
John McCain raised $22 million in May, and with the RNC’s $40+ million cash on hand… it’s also about $60 million.
Roughly even stakes. Basically, Barack Obama has spent more than $200 million dollars to run dead even with John McCain in the polls. After outraising McCain three-to-one, that’s it. That’s all he has to show for it. Wow. So much for the “Obama-nation.”
—Media Lizzy
Must Read:
Politico: Senator Dianne “DiFi” Feinstein, Clinton supporter, notes CLINTON won popular vote
04 Wednesday Jun 2008
Posted in 2008, mccain, media lizzy, politics, republican
Tags
bush, convention, GOP, mccain, minneapolis, minnesota, republican, st. paul, W, Xcel
Convention YouTube Contest Earning Praise
Here’s a sampling of what the blogosphere is saying about the American Neighbor YouTube contest launched by the 2008 Republican National Convention on May 23:
Top of the Ticket – LA Times: “This could be the ultimate merger of politics, the Web and entertainment… the Republicans have generally lagged behind the Democrats in Web innovation. This might catch them up a bit.” – (5/23/08)
Media Lizzy & Friends: “Making a commitment to a cause greater than our own self-interest is critical to understanding the presumptive Republican nominee…This morning, I was excited to see a call to serve – with a 21st Century twist.” – (5/23/08)
Personal Democracy Forum : “A very cool idea. Your move, DNC.” – (5/23/08)
Political Fix- STLtoday.com: “So far this campaign season, the political right has lagged a bit behind the political left in terms of Internet politicking…But not any more [sic].” – (5/24/08)
J.T. Dabbagian: “One wonders, though…Why isn’t the Democratic Party doing something? Obviously, they need to counteract this…It would seem that the Republicans are using social media better then the (D)emocrats, as they used it to pick the name of their new blog, the Grand Old Blog.” – (5/24/08)
Citizentube: “It may be three months away, but the GOP has been planning the Republican National Convention for some time — and YouTube is a key part of their strategy.” – (5/24/08)
MinnPost.com: “John McCain might not exactly be part of the YouTube generation, but his supporters hope to tap into that younger-demo communications network in an effort to elect the senior senator from Arizona to the presidency.” – (5/24/08)
About the American Neighbor YouTube Convention Contest
From May 23 through June 26, 2008, users can submit a short video through the convention’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/GOPConvention2008. On June 27, the convention will announce five finalists, which will be voted on by YouTube users through the convention’s YouTube page. Voting runs through July 3, with the winner announced on Independence Day.
The winning video will be played during the official proceedings of the 2008 Republican National Convention. The producer and person profiled in the winning video will be invited to attend the convention.
Since the contest launch just before Memorial Day weekend, there have been more than 400,000 page views on the convention’s YouTube channel, and nearly 50,000 people have watched a video call for contest entries.
04 Wednesday Jun 2008
Tags
barack, clinton, hillary, mccain, minneapolis, minnesota, nomination, primary, Xcel
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
Final Primary Night
Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008
St. Paul, Minnesota
As Prepared for Delivery
Tonight, after fifty-four hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end.
Sixteen months have passed since we first stood together on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Thousands of miles have been traveled. Millions of voices have been heard. And because of what you said – because you decided that change must come to Washington; because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest; because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another – a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.
I want to thank every American who stood with us over the course of this campaign – through the good days and the bad; from the snows of Cedar Rapids to the sunshine of Sioux Falls. And tonight I also want to thank the men and woman who took this journey with me as fellow candidates for President.
At this defining moment for our nation, we should be proud that our party put forth one of the most talented, qualified field of individuals ever to run for this office. I have not just competed with them as rivals, I have learned from them as friends, as public servants, and as patriots who love America and are willing to work tirelessly to make this country better. They are leaders of this party, and leaders that America will turn to for years to come.
That is particularly true for the candidate who has traveled further on this journey than anyone else. Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she’s a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she’s a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.
We’ve certainly had our differences over the last sixteen months. But as someone who’s shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning – even in the face of tough odds – is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children’s Defense Fund and made her fight for health care as First Lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fueled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency – an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be. And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory. When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen. Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.
There are those who say that this primary has somehow left us weaker and more divided. Well I say that because of this primary, there are millions of Americans who have cast their ballot for the very first time. There are Independents and Republicans who understand that this election isn’t just about the party in charge of Washington, it’s about the need to change Washington. There are young people, and African-Americans, and Latinos, and women of all ages who have voted in numbers that have broken records and inspired a nation.
All of you chose to support a candidate you believe in deeply. But at the end of the day, we aren’t the reason you came out and waited in lines that stretched block after block to make your voice heard. You didn’t do that because of me or Senator Clinton or anyone else. You did it because you know in your hearts that at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – we cannot afford to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our country a better future. And for all those who dream of that future tonight, I say – let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America.
In just a few short months, the Republican Party will arrive in St. Paul with a very different agenda. They will come here to nominate John McCain, a man who has served this country heroically. I honor that service, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences with him are not personal; they are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign.
Because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign.
It’s not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush ninety-five percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year.
It’s not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create well-paying jobs, or insure our workers, or help Americans afford the skyrocketing cost of college – policies that have lowered the real incomes of the average American family, widened the gap between Wall Street and Main Street, and left our children with a mountain of debt.
And it’s not change when he promises to continue a policy in Iraq that asks everything of our brave men and women in uniform and nothing of Iraqi politicians – a policy where all we look for are reasons to stay in Iraq, while we spend billions of dollars a month on a war that isn’t making the American people any safer.
So I’ll say this – there are many words to describe John McCain’s attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush’s policies as bipartisan and new. But change is not one of them.
Change is a foreign policy that doesn’t begin and end with a war that should’ve never been authorized and never been waged. I won’t stand here and pretend that there are many good options left in Iraq, but what’s not an option is leaving our troops in that country for the next hundred years – especially at a time when our military is overstretched, our nation is isolated, and nearly every other threat to America is being ignored.
We must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in – but start leaving we must. It’s time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future. It’s time to rebuild our military and give our veterans the care they need and the benefits they deserve when they come home. It’s time to refocus our efforts on al Qaeda’s leadership and Afghanistan, and rally the world against the common threats of the 21st century – terrorism and nuclear weapons; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. That’s what change is.
Change is realizing that meeting today’s threats requires not just our firepower, but the power of our diplomacy – tough, direct diplomacy where the President of the United States isn’t afraid to let any petty dictator know where America stands and what we stand for. We must once again have the courage and conviction to lead the free world. That is the legacy of Roosevelt, and Truman, and Kennedy. That’s what the American people want. That’s what change is.
Change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who created it. It’s understanding that the struggles facing working families can’t be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEOs, but by giving a the middle-class a tax break, and investing in our crumbling infrastructure, and transforming how we use energy, and improving our schools, and renewing our commitment to science and innovation. It’s understanding that fiscal responsibility and shared prosperity can go hand-in-hand, as they did when Bill Clinton was President.
John McCain has spent a lot of time talking about trips to Iraq in the last few weeks, but maybe if he spent some time taking trips to the cities and towns that have been hardest hit by this economy – cities in Michigan, and Ohio, and right here in Minnesota – he’d understand the kind of change that people are looking for.
Maybe if he went to Iowa and met the student who works the night shift after a full day of class and still can’t pay the medical bills for a sister who’s ill, he’d understand that she can’t afford four more years of a health care plan that only takes care of the healthy and wealthy. She needs us to pass health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants it and brings down premiums for every family who needs it. That’s the change we need.
Maybe if he went to Pennsylvania and met the man who lost his job but can’t even afford the gas to drive around and look for a new one, he’d understand that we can’t afford four more years of our addiction to oil from dictators. That man needs us to pass an energy policy that works with automakers to raise fuel standards, and makes corporations pay for their pollution, and oil companies invest their record profits in a clean energy future – an energy policy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced. That’s the change we need.
And maybe if he spent some time in the schools of South Carolina or St. Paul or where he spoke tonight in New Orleans, he’d understand that we can’t afford to leave the money behind for No Child Left Behind; that we owe it to our children to invest in early childhood education; to recruit an army of new teachers and give them better pay and more support; to finally decide that in this global economy, the chance to get a college education should not be a privilege for the wealthy few, but the birthright of every American. That’s the change we need in America. That’s why I’m running for President.
The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you don’t deserve is another election that’s governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. What you won’t hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon – that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.
Despite what the good Senator from Arizona said tonight, I have seen people of differing views and opinions find common cause many times during my two decades in public life, and I have brought many together myself. I’ve walked arm-in-arm with community leaders on the South Side of Chicago and watched tensions fade as black, white, and Latino fought together for good jobs and good schools. I’ve sat across the table from law enforcement and civil rights advocates to reform a criminal justice system that sent thirteen innocent people to death row. And I’ve worked with friends in the other party to provide more children with health insurance and more working families with a tax break; to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and ensure that the American people know where their tax dollars are being spent; and to reduce the influence of lobbyists who have all too often set the agenda in Washington.
In our country, I have found that this cooperation happens not because we agree on everything, but because behind all the labels and false divisions and categories that define us; beyond all the petty bickering and point-scoring in Washington, Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people, united by common challenges and common hopes. And every so often, there are moments which call on that fundamental goodness to make this country great again.
So it was for that band of patriots who declared in a Philadelphia hall the formation of a more perfect union; and for all those who gave on the fields of Gettysburg and Antietam their last full measure of devotion to save that same union.
So it was for the Greatest Generation that conquered fear itself, and liberated a continent from tyranny, and made this country home to untold opportunity and prosperity.
So it was for the workers who stood out on the picket lines; the women who shattered glass ceilings; the children who braved a Selma bridge for freedom’s cause.
So it has been for every generation that faced down the greatest challenges and the most improbable odds to leave their children a world that’s better, and kinder, and more just.
And so it must be for us.
America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.
The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment – this was the time – when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.
