PT Update...

Hi all, as you can tell, I have take the better part of the Summer off from blogging. I have been paying close attention to politics and I am watching the Democratic National Convention as I write this, but I haven't updated this website since July. And for that, I'm sorry. I've been spending most of my time working, preparing for my second semester of college, and dealing with West Allis Public Access regarding my documentary (which I plan to release by the end of September).

I've also spend a lot of time going to classic rock concerts. Since the end of June, I've seen the Steve Miller Band, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Styx, Boston, Elvis Costello, The Police (currently on their final tour), Alice Cooper, REO Speedwagon, and I have tickets to see Bruce Springsteen on Saturday (my birthday!) and then the Eagles in September! I don't know about you, but I have learned that I LOVE live performances! But I digress.

As you know, I have skipped covering a lot of major news this summer -- most notably, the Edwards Sex Scandal. I am in a bit of a predicament with that -- I endorsed him and repeatedly announced good news from his campaign. I also was very proud that I was able to meet the man in person. So, given his admission to the affair and the obvious end of his career, I guess I will have to accept that he will never hold office again, which is dissappointing because he had more political potential than almost anyone in the country. But I what I will not accept is the idea that because he had an affair, he is no longer to be deemed credible. This is nonsense. Edwards's message is as important today as it always was. And that message of "Two Americas" must not be ignored simply because he cheated on his wife. Speaking off, I really feel just awful for Elizabeth. Her lifelong career of bringing important issues to the forefront of political discussion is now being sideswiped by the media's fascination with scandal. This is reprehensible -- Elizabeth has worked too hard to be overshadowed by John's poor decision. I am happy, by the way, that John did not drag Elizabeth for his Nightline interview. That is just so degrading and it just makes me furious when guys like Larry Craig or Elliot Spitzer bring their respective wives into the spotlight just to make it appear they have marital support.

Well, I'm done ranting and I'll close this post with saying that I will start posting more often, and I will have two essays entitled "The Case Against McCain" and "My Endorsement of Obama" that I will release soon.

So check back soon!

-Mr. Joseph

PS I will also review some political events I attended including a speech by David Horowitz, an Obama campaign rally, and a private Republican dinner with McCain that I worked at.

PT Presents Creedence Clearwater Revisited!

Obviously, I am taking a Summer break of blogging. And I'm sorry for the false promises, but I have been quite busy. I will pick it up again soon enough, but for now -- enjoy these two videos I took of Creedence Clearwater Revisited at Summerfest 2008 in Milwaukee!


LINK: Down on the Corner (Live)


LINK: Who'll Stop the Rain (Live)

-Mr. Joseph

PT presents the Steve Miller Band!

The Steve Miller Band performed live at Summerfest last night, and I was lucky enough to get tickets. I was also lucky enough to smuggle my video camera in and record one of my favorite Steve Miller songs.

So, for your listening pleasure, here's "Abracadabra"...

LINK: Abracadabra (Live) - The Steve Miller Band

-Mr. Joseph

Bay Buchanan at UWM!

Conservative pundit and sister of Pat Buchanan, Bay Buchanan, came to deliver a speech entitled "The Failure of Feminism". I, of course, decided to show up with the UWM feminists from VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood.

Less that thirty people showed up, which was too bad. But on the up side, I got to ask her a question. I also got to speak with her after the event. In addition, I got some good photos and a little bit of video. Hopefully, I'll get all my videos on this computer soon. I'm still working on it. I have video of John Edwards, Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich, and Barack Obama.

Her speech on feminism were the usual complaints about abortion, divorce, and promiscuous sex. She spoke briefly on immigration, leadership, and the 2008 election, too. I was so happy when she declared that there was "no excitement in the Republican Party for John McCain". Eventually she got to answer questions. Several members of VOX challenged her abortion stance for the most part, she held her own. The questions got a little silly at times -- from a guy who asked the question twice about why being a "moderate" was the best political position, to even a Ron Paul fanatic!

The highlight of my night was when I asked her a question. I first asked how her brother (Pat Buchanan) was and if "he was going to run for president again?". She laughed and said that she "never knows" what he's up to. Then I brought the hammer down.

I then said, "In your speech, you said that you believe that abortion is the single most selfish act is abortion and that you couldn't thing of anything more selfish. Might I suggest that rape is?"

The room was silent and her tone changed immediately. She said that because rape is a criminal act that is wasn't comparable. She then gave the talking points about how terrible abortion is. But she acknowledged that I had a good point. And that was important because she stressed that everyone should acknowledge when their opponents have a good point.

After speaking to her for awhile afterwards, I remembered that I am not a complete partisan. There are some traditional conservative beliefs that I agree with (such as securing the border). And both Bay and Pat Buchanan hold some liberal beliefs (like Fair Trade). So it was really refreshing to see a conservative give a speech with some points that I could agree with.

Here's a photo from the event...
Yep, I'm also surprised she posed with me!

All in all, it was a good time. I got everything I hope for when I go see speakers. So now my list of political figures I have seen can now include Bay Buchanan.

-Mr. Joseph

Also, I found out that David "Democrats are worse than terrorists" Horowitz will becoming to UWM in late April. I plan to attend that, but I doubt I will enjoy it as much as this one.

Olbermann Promo: "Who will steal the Political Thunder?"

Last night, a promo for Countdown's pre-Super Tuesday coverage ended with the phrase, "Who will steal the 'political thunder?". That's awesome. An unintentional shout-out to my blog. And by my favorite anchor, Keith Olbermann. Well, I'll be watching his show tonight, for sure.

Anyway, guess who my "ideal candidate" on the Indecision 2008's quiz is. Yep, John Edwards.
In addition, I have been asked to do an interview for the radio show, "The Lake Effect" on WUWM. The interview is in regards to this article, in which I was mentioned.

Today has been good to me.

-Mr. Joseph

Howard Dean at UWM!

As I noted a few weeks ago, Democratic Party Chairman, Howard Dean came to visit UW-Milwaukee, which is where I attend classes. He came to speak on various subjects relating to the Democratic Party. He spoke very well and took some questions at the end.

He spoke on why the Democrats have not been able to accomplish much, why more Democrats must be elected, and why he needs the youth to get out and support the Democratic Party. The speech was a lot of fun and Dean was very interesting.

I videotaped the entire speech, and much like my promise on the John Edwards speech, I promise to get that online -- as soon as I have time to get it on my computer. My videocamera tapes onto Hi-8, so it will take some time. Hopefully, I will get all this online over winter break. I also took some photos...



Of course, some of my fellow Peace Action WI members showed up, as did someone with an "Impeach Bush" sign. That, I think, is always a damper. Although I believe Bush should be impeached, it should not be a priority at this point. And when people bring such a sign, it gives the local media a chance to paint any mainstream Democratic or Left-leaning event as a extreme and irrational.

All in all, seeing a prominent political figure (who was my choice in the 2004 Presidential election) give a speech is a definitely something to remember, and I was quite happy to be there.

One more thing, although I did not get a picture with Mr. Dean, something surprising did happen. Before he came on stage, cards to write questions on were passed out. I wrote "What is your plan for victory in 2008?". I figured it would be a question he was likely to answer -- and I was right! He answered my question! When the question was read, I got to stand up and he looked me in the eye as he answered. For me, that's pretty cool. You can watch what happens on the video... as soon as I upload it.

Here's how the local media covered it...

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel...

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean on Tuesday urged University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students to start knocking on doors in preparation for the 2008 election, while he also blasted Republicans on issues such as health care and the war.

"Democracy, like every other invention of mankind, dies if you don't nurture it," Dean told an audience of about 250. "We need you in politics to win elections for your generation."

Dean zeroed in on Wisconsin's record of getting out the young vote. The state had the second highest turnout among young voters in 2004 and 2006, behind Minnesota. But voting alone is not enough; he wants young people to engage voters personally by knocking on 40 doors, four times, before the election.

"What happens in Wisconsin is going to make a big difference," he said.

The students asked questions, such as: How will Democrats make college more affordable?

Dean recommended a voluntary national service program in which students would serve two years and then reap cash for college.

Carthage College student Steve Horn asked for Dean's plan for getting out of Iraq.

Get the National Guard and reserves home now, Dean said. Divert some troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. Keep Special Operations troops in the Middle East. Bring home up to 60,000 other troops within a year and a half.

"It wasn't the response I wanted to hear," said Horn, who wants the troops home sooner.

UWM student Nicole Morales, 20, said Dean's Iraq plan was the best part of his speech. "I thought it was really good," Morales said. "The only thing I have a problem with is beating up the Republicans so much."

Dean criticized what he described as an "obstructionist Republican minority" in the U.S. Senate that has prevented the country from getting out of Iraq. He disparaged President Bush's October veto of legislation that would have expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP.

"We need to restore the moral leadership and moral authority in this country and the world," he said. "The Republicans have squandered our moral currency."

Republican National Committee spokesman Chris Taylor disputed Democrats' moral authority.

"This is the party that advocates cutting funding from our troops in harm's way. I wouldn't say that screams morality," he said.

Dean ended with a charge to students to get involved in a campaign. "There has been a tendency to be pessimistic about the future of America," he said. "I am not pessimistic about the future because of you."

LINK: Dean blasts GOP: DNC chairman also urges students to get involved, vote

The UWM Post...

Former Vermont Governor and Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Howard Dean implored young voters to make an impact on the 2008 election races, while criticizing Republicans on several key campaign issues during a speech at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus Tuesday.

Dean, who unsuccessfully ran for President in 2004, called the Republicans “the party of the past” and identified Democrats as the only party that can unite the country.

He also spoke proudly of the diversity evident in the Democratic presidential primary race, noting that an African-American, female, and Hispanic candidate are among the party front-runners, adding that the candidate pool reflects the diversity of the country.

“You see your generation in our candidates when they get on the stage. The Republican Party is like the 1950s, where if you were of color, or a different religion, or gay, you were an invisible person,” said Dean. “We are not going back, we are moving forward.”

Dean’s criticism was met with staunch opposition from the Republican Party.

“Howard Dean's insinuation that the Republican Party lacks diversity is completely false. President Bush has surrounded himself with a very diverse group of people from Colin Powell, Elaine Chao, Alberto Gonzales, Condoleezza Rice and numerous others,” said Kirsten Kukowski, Communications Director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

In order to move forward as Dean hopes, he asked students to get involved in campaigns and contribute more than just their votes in the upcoming election year, introducing a Neighborhood Leadership Program as a way to build positive relationships with voters.

The program focuses on supporters pledging to knock on doors across the state and the country three to four times between now and November in an attempt to build a relationship that will result in party loyalty and votes.

“What happens in Wisconsin is going to make a big difference,” said Dean. “It is a big deal that you get out and vote and knocking on those doors is going to do the trick.”

Dean asked members of the crowd to “help all over the state” by electing three more Democratic state representatives in 2008, which would give the state senate, house and governorship to the democrats.

“That will put Wisconsin back on the path away from the financial problems that were left to us by Republicans, and away from the right-wing social agenda that has been foisted upon us,” said Dean.

Kukowski stated that, “Democrats have passed more bills naming post offices and highways than important legislation affecting the American people,” noting the 11% approval rating currently carried by the Democrat-led Congress.

Shifting focus toward the primary race thus far, Dean has been pleased with the decorum of the Democratic candidates heading into Iowa, feeling that much of the supposed conflict between the candidates has been overblown by the media.

“A lot of what you read about is really a hyped-up version of what people are saying. But remember, journalists fan the flames,” said Dean, who unsuccessfully ran for the nomination in 2004.

“The level of ugliness is really not what you think, and is nothing that alarms me,” he added.

Wisconsin primary elections are slated for Feb. 19. Chairman Dean’s appearance was sponsored by UWM’s College Democrats.

LINK: Former Presidential candidate Howard Dean visits UWM: Calls Republicans ‘party of the past’

Here's some video via YouTube (you can see the whole speech there broken up into parts, but I will post the entire here thing soon!)...

WISN...

LINK: Howard Dean Urges Student Involvement During UWM Visit

Panthervision...
(Click the link to watch the video!)
LINK: Howard Dean Speaks to College Students

Also, that night I saw Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping perform, it was quite amazing!
Howard Dean, John Edwards, Michael J. Fox, and Dennis Kucinich (more to come on him), and this is only the beginning. I plan to attend many political events, given I am able to go. Thanks to Chris and Chad, the two who accompanied to both the Dean event, as well as the National Day to End the War, which I also reported on...

-Mr. Joseph

The 2008 Presidential Elections: An Early Look at the Democratic Candidates...

With this spectacle of the 2008 elections already heating up. I figured the Political Thunder Blog should analyze each candidate and then announce which one we here at PT support. This first edition will analyze the Democratic candidates.

Democratic Candidates:

Hillary Clinton...
Hillary Clinton, although the first woman from a major political party to ever run for President, is the Establishment candidate. She's played the game of politics all her life. She is intelligent and well spoken. And although she brings out the worst in pundits of the Right-Wing, she would be a fine President. Unfortunately, the possibility of her winning the 2008 Election is slim. She has a strong base of voters, however that base won't likely grow very large given the other candidates. She does not appeal to moderates. And that is because of the conservative hit machine that does its best to bring her down. This campaign is led by conservative pundits like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, and Glenn Beck.

I wish her the best, but I think her campaign will be a difficult one to sell. "Love her" or "hate her" ones always are. If nothing else, her campaign will decide if America is ready for a female President.

On the Web...

LINK: HillaryClinton.com (Official Website)

LINK: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator from New York (Senate Website)

LINK: Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, 2008 (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Hillary Clinton" (Google News)

---

Barack Obama...
Jon Stewart once described Barack Obama as the first black man to ever "have a prayer" of becoming President (which is ironic because Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are both reverends). Barack is the people's choice for President. He is man of popularity. His charisma wins over huge groups of people and it doesn't take much effort for him to convince people that he is a good guy. Unfortunately, his amount of experience in national government is limited. This is his biggest weakness. Also, he can be an easy target for the media. In Mid-December of '06, CNN ran a story on his name alone. Racism is also a factor. Rush Limbaugh dubbed him a "Halfrican American" and "Barack, The Magic Negro". Glenn Beck said that Obama is "colorless ... he might as well be white".

All this is just the beginning of the smears. They go on and on and on. The media has overblown every story with even a hint of controversy -- from Sen. Joe Biden stating that Obama is “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy” to the "Hillary 1984" attack ad.

I would love to see Barack Obama as President, for he is a breath of fresh air in the world of politics. He doesn't fight dirty and he believes strongly in bipartisanship. Hopefully, the smear campaign against him won't defeat his cause.

On the web...

LINK: Obama '08 (Offical Website)

LINK: Barack Obama, U.S. Senator for Illinois (Senate Website)

LINK: Barack Obama (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Barack Obama" (Google News)

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John Edwards...
John Edwards is a man with a lot to offer. He is strong supporter of unions and he will fight for the working class. Ann Coulter hates him enough to call him a "faggot", so he must be doing something right. Unfortunately, his campaign was struck with the sad news of the return of his wife's cancer. I salute them for pushing on with the campaign, and I hope Elizabeth has a swift recovery. I also salute her for her brave confrontation with Ann Coulter.

I met Sen. Edwards in September of 2007 and saw him give a speech. I have a video of his performance that I hope to get online somewhat soon. He truly came across as very Presidential. And this suprised me quite a bit. Before I saw him talk, I thought he came across as lackluster, but that is no longer my belief. In fact, when I started this analysis, I intended this to be the announcement of the official PT Blog's endorsement. However, after meeting him in person, I could not hold back my support for Edwards. And I officially support Senator John Edwards for President.

Now, unfortunately, with the release of this embarrassing video, the "Breck Girls" nickname, and news of his $400 haircut, he is already an easy target by the brain-dead media and immature Right-Wing. All in all, I wish him the best.

On the web...

LINK: John Edwards for President (Offical Website)

LINK: John Edwards (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "John Edwards" (Google News)

---

Bill Richardson...
Governor Bill Richardson is another "first [minority] to run for President". Although one of the most experienced and qualified candidates of the whole group, his nomination is unlikely. He's not as mainstream as Hillary, Obama, or Edwards. He does have chances to be a VP, however. With the way this election has ALREADY become grandiose and, quite frankly, ridiculous, Richardson will probably be swept under the rug by the mass media. He is one of the few candidates to promise immediate withdrawl from Iraq, something I personally disagree with.

I admire the man's career and I wish him the best, but unfortunately, I see his campaign a difficult one to pursue.

On the web...

LINK: Bill Richardson for President Exploratoy Committee (Offical Website)

LINK: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (Governor Website)

LINK: Bill Richardson (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Bill Richardson" (Google News)

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Chris Dodd...
The head of the New Hampshire Democratic party said Dodd told her that he wasn't "going to do the exploratory thing, I'm going to plunge right in." And he did. Unfortunately, it was on the recently disgraced Don Imus' show, Imus in the Morning. I don't really know why he is running for President. He doesn't seem to have much of a chance. I know very little about him, only that Dodd and Sen. Ted Kennedy once formed a "human sandwich" with a female waiter. Oh, and something called a "Dodd Pod".

His chances are minimal, so I only hope he brings some relevant discussions to the campaign. However, when I saw his performance on Real Time with Bill Maher, I was impressed.

On the web...

LINK: Chris Dodd for President (Offical Website)

LINK: U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd | D-Connecticut (Senate Website)

LINK: Christopher Dodd (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Chris Dodd" (Google News)

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Joe Biden...
I am not much of fan of Biden. Even thought he apologized, his comments about Barack Obama were irresponsible and stupid, even if they were misinterpreted. However, some believe the what he said wasn't important at all. What was even more irresponsible was his comments about Indian-Americans, when he said, "I've had a great relationship. In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian Americans — moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking."

To his credit, The Biden-Gelb Plan for Iraq does make a lot of sense. In fact, it makes the most sense of all plans for Iraq. It is very reassuring to see that some Democrats do actually have a plan for Iraq.

The bottom line is that I really believe that his 2008 bid will end on something embarrassing, as it did in 1988. Biden, hopefully, will drop out soon because he nomination is incredibly unlikely and his election is even more unlikely.

On the web...

LINK: Biden for President '08 (Offical Website)

LINK: Joseph R. Biden, Jr. U.S. Senator from Delaware (Senate Website)

LINK: Joe Biden (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Joe Biden" (Google News)

---

Mike Gravel...
Former Senator Mike Gravel was a name unknown to me. After doing some research, I found that he was instrumental in ending the draft and releasing the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War. So, he's a pretty cool guy.

Apparently, in 1972, he ran for Vice-President. In 1980, he was ousted in the Democratic primary by the grandson of the man Gravel had defeated in a primary 12 years earlier. Oh, the irony. However, he didn't take it to well. "I had lost my career. I lost my marriage. I was in the doldrums for ten years after my defeat," was what he said regarding the 1980 election.

He made a major error in judgment in 2003 when he gave a speech that was co-sponsored by Holocaust deniers (the Barnes Review). At least, he made a point that he did not share their view when he stated that "You better believe I know that six million Jews were killed. I've been to the Holocaust Museum. I've seen the footage of General Eisenhower touring one of the camps. They're [referring to the Barnes Review] nutty as loons if they don't think it happened".

His positions are very liberal (he supports legalizing marijuana), and he has been ignored by the media. Add that to the fact that only about 0.5% of Democrats support him, his candidacy is all but dead. Although his chances are nil, I hope he can bring some important discussions to the table and be a strong voice for the far left of the Democratic Party.

On the web...

LINK: Gravel 2008 (Offical Website)

LINK: Mike Gravel (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Mike Gravel" (Google News)

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Dennis Kucinich...
I don't care what anyone says -- Dennis Kucinich is cool... to an extent. I don't have too much to say about his current campaign. He is, potentially, undermining black voices by not boycotting the (now cancelled) FOX News Democratic debate. And, after missing the point of the boycott, he is taking potshots at the other Democratic candidates.

Kucinich is an odd character. He was named "among the ten worst big-city mayors of all time" by Melvin G. Holli. In 2003, Kucinich was the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Award, an annual award bestowed by the Religious Society of Friends-affiliated organization Promoting Enduring Peace. In more recent times, he started impeachment proceedings against Vice President Dick Cheney.

Unfortunately, he is ultimately just the punchline for the joke that is his own campaign. Even though he has laid out a plan for Iraq and put together a very nice liberal campaign platform, everyone already knows his campaign will go nowhere. Hopefully, he will be able to bring some good discussion to the campaign.

A part of me wishes he would win -- back in 2003, he was the only candidate who promised (and is currently only one of two) to close the School of the Americas, a cause that is very personal to me.

On the web...

LINK: Kucinich for President 2008 (Offical Website)

LINK: Congressman Dennis Kucinich (House Website)

LINK: Dennis Kucinich (Wikipedia)

LINK: News Results for "Dennis Kucinich" (Google News)

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Well, that is it for the official Democratic candidates. However, I find it important to analyze the two major potential Democratic Candidates, Gen. Wes Clark and Al Gore.

Wesley Clark...
Although the Draft Clark movement was pushing for a Clark candidacy, it seems that he has entirely rejected the chance to run for President in 2008. And, along with other ex-Democratic Candidate Tom Vilsack, has given his endorsement to Hillary Clinton. Which, some think, will make him a possible VP choice.

On the web...

LINK: Wesley Clark's WesPAC -- Securing America (Offical Website)

LINK: Wesley Clark (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Wesley Clark" (Google News)

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Al Gore...
If the latest Nobel Prize laureate were to enter the race, he could easily thunder into the primaries and steal a lot of votes from the Clinton campaign, but, in all reality, he will not. Gore loves his work for the environment and is doing a fantastic job at it, so there is no reason for him to enter. And, unlike the Republicans, Democrats are mostly satisfied with their choice of candidates; so if Gore were to enter, it would have mixed responses.

I must admit, up until I met Sen. Edwards, Al Gore was my hope for the White House. But, I have to face reality and understand that he has no reason to enter and he, most likely, will not. However, if he actually does enter, I will give him my utmost support.

On the web...

LINK: An Inconvenient Truth -- ClimateCrisis.net (Offical Website)

LINK: Al Gore (Wikipedia)

LINK: News results for "Al Gore" (Google News)

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So there you have it, the 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidates, and my endorsements -- Sen. John Edwards or (if he enters) Vice President Al Gore.

-Mr. Joseph

Political Quiz

I just took this random political quiz. Here are the results...

My Liberal Identity:

You are a Working Class Warrior, also known as a blue-collar Democrat. You believe that the little guy is getting screwed by conservative greed-mongers and corporate criminals, and you’re not going to take it anymore.

Take the quiz at www.FightConservatives.com

-Mr. Joseph

I met John Edwards!

I know I'm a bit late in reporting this, but college life has been tough. I am constantly busy. I have school at UWM, my job at American Serb Hall, and my internship at U.S. Senator Herb Kohl's office. So, I apologize in being late.

Anyway, what happened was pretty cool. John Edwards was campaigning in Milwaukee, at my place of work -- Serb Hall. So my boss (a Republican) told me Edwards was coming. He told me he would let me in free and I could bring my video-camera. So I did. I showed up and hour early and waited. Edwards, naturally, didn't start till 45 minutes after he was scheduled, even though he was in the building. While we waited, I looked around to find a good vantage point for video-recording. My boss, who was supervising the event, told me what door he was coming in, so I staked out there.

When he finally came out, it was fantastic -- I got a great shot of his entrance and some lovely video of him shaking hands with people. In fact, on my video, you will see a close-up of stomach as he shakes me hand. You can also hear me say, "Good luck, Senator." Original, I know.

Anyway, he started his speech and I videotaped the entire thing -- it was a wonderful speech. He really has put together a good campaign. Also, I took a lot of pictures that night. I shook his hand three different times, each hoping for an autograph or a photo with him. Alas, I got none. The masses were just to hard to get through.

When he left, I felt a tad disappointed that I didn't get a photo with him...

...Until the next morning when I checked to see what our local media had to say about the event.
The picture at the top is me and Sen. John Edwards. It is from the TMJ4 (NBC affiliate here in Milwaukee) website. This is the photo they used to report the event. Needless to say, I am quite happy. I got a photo with him after all. I'm also in the TMJ4 video for about 3 seconds.

As soon as I get the video onto my camera, I will upload it here and you will be able to watch it. However, I have an older camera and I have to get a friend to help me get he video off of it first. When I post the video, I will repost this entry.

I can, however, post a few photos from the event...

...A picture of the TV as the local FOX affiliate reports life.
...My one cell phone picture that is worth posting,,,
...Giving his speech...
...This is kind of a funny photo...
...Edwards was kind enough to sign autographs for awhile...
At the end of the event, I watched him drive away and realized that, potentially, I had just met the President of the United States. I also realized that when my parents or relatives would tell me they met Clinton, or Reagan, or Mondale, or whoever -- they met them at events like these. And these events are fun and easy to go to. Considering how early this ridiculous 2008 race is, I am very excited -- I intend to go to a lot of political rallies, Democrat and Republican.

On a side note, one of the managers at Serb Hall apparently asked Edwards, "If you get the nomination, who will be your running mate? Hillary?" To which Edwards responded, "Oh, Hell no."

I heard this secondhand -- it's not official, but I don't doubt the source.

One last thing this even helped me realize: it is too late for Al Gore to enter the 2008 Race. So I need to stop pretending and pick a candidate. And my candidate is John Edwards.

Here's the story from the local news media (Today's TMJ4), video is on this page...

The election is more than a year away - but candidates for president are already targeting Wisconsin as a key state. Democrat John Edwards was in town Monday night.

Three years after winning Wisconsin as John Kerry's running mate, John Edwards is back for another round.

Some issues are the same. Some have changed.

“We don't need a surge in Baghdad,” Edwards told the Serb Hall crowd. “We need a surge in New Orleans!”

Edwards voted for the Iraq war, but now says it was a mistake.

"I think it's time for Congress to do what the American people put them in charge of doing and that is to bring an end to this war," Edwards said.

He's also critical of General Petraeus' report Monday that hints at progress in Iraq with the troop surge.

TODAY'S TMJ4's Charles Benson: "Do you think there's any value to the Petraeus report that adds value or trust to the debate over whether we should be in or out of Iraq?"

John Edwards: "The problem with what Petraeus is saying is he's not addressing the underlying question: What are we doing to make any political progress in Iraq?"

Most of the issues Edwards talked about are familiar to Wisconsin voters from his presidential campaign in 2004 and he hopes that will help him in 2008.

Charles Benson: "What do you think of this state given that the presidential primary could be over by the time you come back to Wisconsin?"

"The flip side to that is that the presidential primary in Wisconsin could be critical," Edwards said.

We should know in about five months.

LINK: John Edwards Campaigns In Milwaukee

MSNBC also reported on the event...

Link: John Edwards in Milwaukee

ABC's affiliate, WISN, also reported on the event...

LINK: Edwards Gets Endorsement, Cash During Milwaukee Campaign Stop

VIDEO: John Edwards' Campaign Stop in Milwaukee (It wasn't working for me)

FOX's affiliate, MyFoxMilwaukee, also reported...

VIDEO / LINK: John Edwards Visits Milwaukee (Notice the FOX-style subtle salute to Ronald Reagan at the end)

The Edwards campaign team also noted the event here (more pictures).

First, Michael J. Fox, now Edwards, who's next?
-Mr. Joseph

National Day of Action to End the War

So, yesterday was the "National Day of Action to End the War". MoveOn.org invited me to a peace vigil at the courthouse in my hometown of Milwaukee.

So I went, and I took two of my friends. We started to take turns reading off a timeline of the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq. We mentioned no names, just how many died and where they were from. After awhile, someone politely interrupted and mentioed that although this was a great way to honor the fallen, we were really just preaching to the choir. A small forum then broke out of ideas of what we should do to be more effective. We had hoped for press coverage, but, of course, local news is impotent on such matters. My friend, Chris, then suggested we take our vigil onto the street and block traffic as we continued to read off the timeline. The idea went over well and the crowd (of about fifty) moved to the sidewalk and a brave few of about fifteen (including myself) walked into the street.

We read our timeline and blocked traffic -- cars had to slow down and go around us. Nothing was endangered, and no one really got upset -- not even the inconvenienced drivers. As one of us read the last page of our timeline, a lone sheriff pulled up and insisted we get off the street. Considering this was a simple peace vigil, we all complied.

Soon after, we left. However, we left very satisfied. The vigil, which started as near-silent homage to the fallen, soon turned into an energetic, enthusiastic rally against this corrupt war in Iraq. And part of that is owed to my friend, Chris.

I took four pictures at the vigil...

This is a shot of some of those that chose to stay on the sidewalk.
This is a picture of the brave few that went into the street. My friend Chris is the second from the right. I, also, stood in the street.
The police arrive mere minutes before we finished.
The sheriff insisted we move back onto the sidewalk. Some did not move right away, but since it was a just a peace vigil, we complied with the police.
Although the vigil only lasted an hour, it was nice to take part in something like this. It is important to remember why we must demand an end to this War and why we must protest the Bush Administration.

-Mr. Joseph

MUHS Letter to the Editor

I wrote this letter to the school newspaper in response to a highly conservative and misleading article that it published. I posted the story here in order to include my electronic sources...

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Dear Flambeau,
For the third year now, I find myself putting together a response discussing Nik Nelson's unfair and factually incorrect "Year in Review" article. Although this year's article was the most interesting edition and the added quotes and pictures were very appealing, this article was full of misleading and inflammatory statements. Since my call for an end to these irresponsible statements has been completely ignored, I merely wish for the Marquette High community to look at the basic facts of these political issues.
Mr. Nelson brings up the issue of wiretapping several times through the article. In "May", he mentions that the NSA has a huge database of every phone call placed through three major telephone providers, Mr. Nelson then asks, "If this means helping to end terrorism, what's with all the objections?". Wiretapping has not helped bring an end to terrorism. It has merely violated our civil liberties, with little to show for it. In "August", Nelson points out that British intelligence prevented a terrorist plot from occurring. He then asks, "Will someone please remind me why we can't tap these people's phones?" My answer to him is simply, since when does the United States tap British phones? Also, wiretapping did not prevent this potential disaster; it was a British agent that infiltrated the group. Mr. Nelson hits on wiretapping again in "December", when he discusses AT&T's purchase of BellSouth. He states, "Just think of all of the terrorists we can spy on now!" I guess I don't understand the logic behind that comment; however my concern over this purchase is one to consider. With these telephone giants merging, I think to myself, "Just think of the corporate domination that we will be subject to now!"
Another issue that Mr. Nelson does not relent on is global warming. In "February", he asks if a "hurricane-like snowstorm" is "part of the global warming Al Gore was warning us about?" I would say, possibly yes. The common misconception about global warming is that all it does in make the Earth hotter. This is not true. The true climate threat of global warming is that it will cause severe, deadly weather. Hurricane Katrina and other intense storms (like the "hurricane-like snowstorm) that have increased alarmingly (the number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years) in recent years are evidence of this. In "March", Mr. Nelson suggest that Al Gore "rejoice[d]" at the news of Tropical Cyclone Larry for it would raise An Inconvenient Truth DVD sales. This is a preposterous smear that is a perfect example of the global warming skeptics' crowd: attack the messenger; ignore the message. In "July", Mr. Nelson refers to Al Gore as "Internet Inventor Al Gore". Another ridiculous smear; Al Gore never claimed to invent the internet. When he stated "During my service in the United States Congress I took the initiative in creating the Internet," all he meant was that he did the most of any elected official to support the growth of internet ever since the 1970's. This is true. According to Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf (the guys who actually did invent the internet), Gore "was the first political leader to recognize the importance of the Internet and to promote and support its development".
Perhaps the most damning of Mr. Nelson's article is the fact that he leaves out some very important aspects of stories he mentions. In "February", he discusses Vice President Cheney shooting his friend in the face. Mr. Nelson fails to mention that there were questions regarding how Vice President Cheney reacted and why the media was not informed earlier. Instead he states something about how "no one likes lawyers". In "February", Mr. Nelson suggests drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in response to Hugo Chavez threatening to cut off the supply of oil to the United States. I can see his logic here, but, perhaps a better suggestion is alternative fuels, for that would end the problem of oil dependency forever. In "May", Nelson mentions the news of the Enron executives Jeff Skilling and Ken Lay being found guilty of their corporate crimes; however Mr. Nelson fails to note the close relationship between Lay and President Bush. For instance, Lay and Enron were once President Bush's number one campaign donors. Lay gave Bush a documented $736,800 (a staggering sum on its own), however, through campaign contributions, consultancies, joint investments, deals, presidential library and inaugural contributions, speech fees and the like, the real amount of contributions could be anywhere from $8 million to as high as $25 million. In “June”, Mr. Nelson declared that “Liberals flee in terror” from Ann Coulter’s Godless: The Church of Liberalism. This is not true. I read Coulter’s book, and I was thoroughly dissappointed. It was full of inflammatory statements, blatant distortions, poor grammar, plagarism, strange misconceptions, and (seriously) a talking-point from humor columnist Dave Barry. The website MediaMatters.org did an effective job of debunking of the book’s false statements. Also, in “June”, Mr. Nelson accused the New York Times of treason for reporting a leaked story regarding “an international program to monitor money transactions of terrorist organizations”. However, he left out the fact that President Bush and his staff have been quite open about this program. In a September 24, 2001 speech, Bush announced the establishment of a "foreign terrorist asset tracking center at the Department of the Treasury to identify and investigate the financial infrastructure of the international terrorist networks." He added, "It will bring together representatives of the intelligence, law enforcement and financial regulatory agencies to accomplish two goals: to follow the money as a trail to the terrorists, to follow their money so we can find out where they are; and to freeze the money to disrupt their actions." Is this treason as well? Perhaps a better example of treason is leaking the name of a CIA operative to a conservative columnist who publishes her name, thereby destroying her lifetime career, all with the intention to strike revenge at the operative’s husband (who proved the administration wrong about an argument promoting the invasion of Iraq).
In “August”, Mr. Nelson jokes about how Mahmoud Ahmadenijad ordered “advanced tickets to Apocalypto” in response to Mel Gibson’s drunken, anti-Semitic tirade. My question is, did FOX News’ Sean Hannity also order advanced tickets? Hannity proved to be Gibson’s most vocal apologist, stating that, "people deserve compassion when they are in this kind of trouble." That is, unless that “people” is Alec Baldwin (someone Hannity has no compassion for). In “December”, when referring to Iran’s Holocaust Conference, Mr. Nelson jokes about how Mel Gibson was “strangely absent”. Mr. Nelson forgot to mention someone who was present: former Republican Louisianan State Representative and notorious white supremacist David Duke.
Mr. Nelson’s inflammatory statements continue in “September”, when he criticizes Bill Clinton for “throw[ing] down” Chris Wallace after Wallace conducted a “real” interview with “tough questions, not the softball lobs that everyone else throws...” However, during the interview, Clinton accused Chris Wallace of not asking the Bush administration similar questions, to which Wallace replied, “Have you ever watched Fox News Sunday, sir? ... We ask plenty of questions.” The weblogs Think Progress and Media Matters later found President Clinton’s accusations to be true. Chris Wallace has not conducted "real" interviews with several members in the Bush Administration.
In “October”, Mr. Nelson mentions the horribly offensive comments Rush Limbaugh made about stem cell research proponent Michael J. Fox. Mr. Nelson then accuses Fox of appealing in “propaganda ads for Democratic candidates”. This is an appallingly irresponsible statement. Michael J. Fox is a staunch supporter of stem cell research, but he does not blindly support Democrats. “Arlen Specter is my guy” is what he said of one of the Republicans he supported. I saw Michael J. Fox give a speech in November of 2006, and all he did was simply ask the American people to support a line of research that can help bring an end to the pain people suffer like he does. To attack a courageous man such as he, is truly cowardly. The other is issue with “October” is a glaring omission of an incredibly important event in the political realm. Mr. Nelson did not mention the Mark Foley scandal. He also did not mention that Speaker Denny Hastert and other leading Republicans were well aware of Foley’s inappropriate behavior regarding the congressional page program. Mr. Nelson also made no mention of Tom DeLay, Jack Abramoff, and the continuing lobbying scandal that brought down several Republican lawmakers. To ignore such significant stories is truly evidence of a problem of blatant bias, and it is the fundamental flaw of having articles such as these printed in a student newspaper.
Now, Mr. Nelson did not completely ignore the 2006 elections. In “November”, he states that in response to the Democratic Congressional victories, “Enrollment in support groups around the country skyrockets”. Also, in “March”, Mr. Nelson wonders “how extraterrestrial life got elected Speaker of the House”. Never mind that Denny Hastert was Speaker of the House in March 2006, Mr. Nelson’s attacks are immature and unnecessary. It is more relevant to discuss why the Democrats had such resounding victories in the 2006 elections. The 2006 elections was a mandate to change course in the disaster that Iraq has become and to reflect this country’s outright dissatisfaction with President Bush (who currently enjoys a 28% approval rating).
All in all, Mr. Nelson’s article is disappointing. In a time when our country is so harshly divided, the MUHS community does not need to read partisan pot-shots. We here at Marquette are supposed to be intellectually competent and open to growth. This article simply rehashes careless partisanship and makes a mockery of what political discussion is supposed to be. Since this is Nik Nelson’s and my final year here at Marquette, I bring a message of hope: bring an end to careless partisanship and may the Marquette community have some decent dialogue.

Most sincerely,
Joseph G. Kay, 2007

PS In order to cite every source I used in this article, I posted the full article online with all my sources at http://political-thunder.blogspot.com/

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Savage for President?

Crooks and Liars noted the story, but NewsMax.com interviewed Mr. Weiner-Savage himself...

NewsMax:

Michael Savage, the nation's third-most listened to radio talk-show host, says he may leave his top rated show to make a bid for the GOP nomination for president.

"I know it sounds bizarre but when you consider the people running for the presidency, none . . . seems to be qualified," Savage told NewsMax in an exclusive interview.

Savage, based at the San Francisco Bay area's KNEW station, began his syndicated "Savage Nation" show in 2000. Today his network, Talk Radio Network, boasts that Savage is heard on over 370 stations across the country by 8 million listeners a week. [Editor's Note: Do you want Michael Savage for President? Vote Here Now.]

The controversial radio host packs a powerful punch in his three-hour daily show and can spark national news. Savage was credited with bringing the Dubai Ports World deal to national attention. The deal would have turned over U.S. port operations to the Middle Eastern company. A public outrage ensued, forcing Dubai Ports World to scuttle their plan.

Savage has also parlayed his loyal base into four consecutive New York Times best sellers, including his latest "The Political Zoo" — a satirical criticism of both Republicans and Democrats.

Savage, with his loyal listenership, says he can play an important role in the Republican primaries, gain critical support, and add to the planned debates.

"I would think that somebody who's not a politician might be a viable candidate," Savage stated, stressing that he would focus his campaign on his mantra: "Borders, language, Culture

Back to Party Roots

Savage readily admits he has little chance of being elected.

Still, he's convinced he could help push the Republican Party back to its conservative roots.

"A non-politician who has a very large following, who is very conservative, and who believes in a simple message of borders, language, and culture has a great chance of electrifying the American people," Savage said, complaining the current flock of candidates are simply parroting "sound bytes."

Could such a run harm the Republican Party?

Savage doesn't think so, claiming the GOP has "virtually no chance of winning right now.

"They are all political apparatchiks," he continued. "They have never stood for borders, language or culture — not one of them. They have completely failed the conservatives who elected the Republicans during the Gingrich revolution."

Savage says he seriously sees a need for a candidate like himself, since the Democrats have veered sharply to the left precisely because of the "loud noises being made by the left wing in the party. Consequently even the mainstream Democrats move to the left on virtually every issue: the Iraq war, global warming, you name it."

Recalling the 2004 Democratic primaries, Savage said, "Guys like Kucinich and Sharpton, clearly unqualified for this job, were given equal time on the podium during the debates with the leading candidates such as Kerry and Gore."

Spark for the Fire

Meanwhile, Savage thinks there has been no real debate among Republicans.

"The dial has not been moved on the Republicans with somewhat socialist tendencies at all because there's been no debate. The Bush dynasty, the Bush machine, has literally wiped out any vestige of controversy for six years. They've eliminated it." If he gets in the race, Savage promised, he would spark plenty of debate.

"The debate must be moved to the people away from the politicians," he said. He said that if he runs he would expect to be included in any debates.

For the moment he remains cautious about running and leaving his lucrative radio show.

"I'm only exploring this," he said and will be testing public reaction to such a move.

"I could not continue to do my radio show. I've been told that once you've declared yourself a candidate and you're openly running, you have to give up your career in the media for obviously good reasons," Savage said.

Looking at the leading candidates now expected to seek the GOP nomination, Savage saw little to cheer about:

John McCain — "McCain . . . what does McCain stand for? He ran in the mantle of Barry Goldwater and then he completely humiliated that legacy by being a senator in the mold of a Rockefeller Republican rather than showing any tinges of Goldwater conservatism."

Rudy Giuliani — "He has not got a ghost of a chance to be president. He's for Giuliani and no one else. He's too liberal; favoring gay marriage, for example, and he made New York City an asylum city for illegal aliens. He has no conservative credentials."

Mitt Romney — "I don't know the man but his policies seem to be all over the map."

Newt Gingrich — "He is intellectually brilliant, but I think . . . he's unelectable because he has too much history." On the issues, Savage was equally blunt. "There is only one major issue," he said. "It's interconnected to the border. The border and the war on terror are interrelated. Bush cannot have it both ways. He cannot say he's fighting the war on terror over there and leaving the door to Mexico off its hinges over here. It doesn't make sense."

As for the war in Iraq, Savage says our troops are fighting with handcuffs.

"You can't fight a war with rules of engagement that are the rules of engagement of a state trooper in the United States."

Savage insisted, "This war cannot be won without a new strategy. They're putting more men into the meat grinder. There is only one way to resolve this. Use the techniques that have been used in all previous modern wars. Use air power to decimate the enemy in his stronghold — the Sunni triangle, and the area where the Mahdi army is — Sadr city, and then send tanks in with the men behind the tanks to mop up. You do not send boys in, alley-by-alley in hand-to-hand combat unless you are an incompetent sob."

Savage Savage

On the now red hot issue of global warming, Savage was equally savage. "It is the biggest hoax of out lifetimes," he charged. "It is being promulgated by people who want to control the industrialized West without firing a shot." He explained that he is the only radio host "with an actual Ph.D. in a real science from a great university."

He says the scientific evidence "indicates that there is global warming but it's a natural cycle that occurs about every 1,500 years and that mankind has almost nothing to do with it."

How, he asked, could previous ice ages have ended without global warming, which in each case occurred without mankind creating greenhouse gases with the use of fossil fuels.

"What caused the ice ages to recede?" he asked. "Man did not industrialize the earth until the 19th century."

The earth, he explained, "warmed through natural phenomena — through sunflares, underwater volcanic activity warming the oceans, for example. "It is the biggest hoax of out lifetimes," Savage continued, "For liberals, global warming is their religion, they believe in the hype, and if you do not agree, you are a bad person much like how communists treated non-party members.

LINK: Michael Savage Mulls Presidential Run

C&L:

I'm fully supporting Michael Weiner's bid for the White House if he makes that most difficult choice.

Michael Savage, the nation's third-most listened to radio talk-show host, says he may leave his top rated show to make a bid for the GOP nomination for president.

"I know it sounds bizarre but when you consider the people running for the presidency, none . . . seems to be qualified," Savage told NewsMax in an exclusive interview

LINK: Michael Savage for President!

RELATED READING:
PT Presents... Reasons why he would not win

-Mr. Joseph

I saw Michael J. Fox give a speech!

This is my grandmother, myself, and Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton.

The Michael J. Fox campaign for WI Gov. Jim Doyle was amazing. He gave a great speech on the importance of supporting Stem Cell research and why it was important to Vote for Doyle. He was probably one of the major reasons that Doyle won in such a landslide.

I have pictures from the event, which are posted here. You can see all the pictures from the event (including some of WI State Sen. Jim Sullivan, Kathleen Falk, plus more of Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, Gov. Jim Doyle, and Mr. Michael J. Fox) on my facebook account.

The local news media also covered this event...

From JS Online...

Fox touts Doyle on stem cells
Green ad aims to link casino deals, donations

With the election two weeks away, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle returned to the stem cell issue Tuesday, unveiling a TV ad with actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease.

The ad suggests that the Doyle campaign sees the stem cell issue as a powerful way to woo undecided voters. Stem cell research is seen as holding the promise to cure or lead to treatments for a host of debilitating diseases.

Meanwhile, Republican challenger Mark Green launched a new ad that slams Doyle for contributions from casino interests, picking up an issue he raised Friday in the final debate before the Nov. 7 election.

As Green did Friday, the ad alleges Doyle changed his position on casino expansion because of money spent by American Indian tribes and casino interests in the 2002 election and since then. An accompanying news release listed $1.9 million in spending.

Both sides said the other is lying and desperate.

"They have made up every wild accusation they can," Doyle said. "It seems to me their ads are getting more desperate."

In a statement, Green said: "In his desperate attempt to hold on to power, Jim Doyle continues to run the most dishonest campaign Wisconsin has ever seen."

A look at the developments:

Doyle stem cell ad: The 30-second ad featuring Fox will begin running today in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Wausau. It features Fox talking directly to the camera, the shifts and shakes in his body underscoring the impact of the disease.

The ad is similar to ones Fox has cut for Democrats in Missouri and Maryland. The effort drew national attention when radio host Rush Limbaugh questioned whether Fox had stopped taking his medication or exaggerated the effects of the disease by acting - a notion dismissed by others.

"I think the statement (by Limbaugh) was sad," said John Rogers, Fox's political adviser.

He declined to respond directly to Limbaugh's charge.

"I'm not going to get into Michael's meds," said Rogers, who also serves as chairman of Stem Cell Champions for Doyle.

An excerpt from Fox's autobiography that appears on the Web site of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, says this about a 1999 appearance before Congress: "I had made a deliberate choice to appear before the subcommittee without medication. It seemed to me that this occasion demanded that my testimony about the effects of the disease, and the urgency we as a community were feeling, be seen as well as heard. For people who had never observed me in this kind of shape, the transformation must have been startling."

The star of the "Back to the Future" movies and TV shows such as "Spin City," Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991. He toured stem cell laboratories at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Doyle in February 2005. About a month ago, he helped Doyle with fund raising in New York, Rogers said.

In the ad, Fox says Doyle "knows the promise (the research) holds and the jobs it can create," while saying Green "has stood in the way of embryonic stem cell research."

He closes by saying that what voters decide here "can affect millions of people - like me, like your family. Please re-elect Governor Doyle. For all of us."

Green has said he is a strong supporter of stem cell research, including votes to fund research going on at UW-Madison. As a member of the U.S. House, he voted against a measure, however, that would have expanded the number of embryonic stem cell lines for which researchers could obtain federal grants.

His chief objection, Green says, is federal funding for research that destroys embryos. During the campaign, he proposed spending $25 million over four years for research into techniques that would allow the stem cells to be obtained without destroying the embryo.

Green said the ad "flat out lies about my record" and called it "part of a national smear campaign by Democrats."

Green casino ad: Among other accusations, the ad says Doyle changed his position on casino expansion because of money from American Indian tribes and other casino interests.

The $1.9 million cited by Green is from a compilation of past press reports and other filings. In many cases, the money went to outside groups that advanced Doyle's cause or was spent by the tribes as issue ads.

After Friday's debate, Doyle said tribes "can't make contributions to me and they didn't make contributions to me." He reiterated that Tuesday.

In the 2002 campaign, Doyle expressed an openness toward long-term compacts with the tribes for current casinos. One of the first things he did after taking office was negotiate new compacts that expanded the types of casino games that could be played but required tribes to pay much more to the state.

Doyle also changed his mind on whether the Legislature should be able to veto those agreements, and vetoed a legislative oversight bill.

The Green tally includes money spent by the Troha family, which is involved in a proposed Kenosha casino that would be run by the Menominee Tribe.

Kenosha casino developer Dennis Troha contributed $50,000 to the Democratic Governors Association during the most recent reporting period with the Internal Revenue Service. That's on top of $50,000 he gave to the group in December 2005.

Troha and his family have contributed more than $192,000 to Doyle's campaign since 2002, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

LINK: Fox touts Doyle on stem cells

...

Today's TMJ4 covered the story as well...

Fox said, "'I'm coming to Wisconsin because it's the birthplace of embryonic stem cell research, where pioneering scientists may one day unlock the cures for humanity's oldest and deadliest diseases. For millions of Americans like me, who hope that stem cell research might one day bring cures, the choice between Governor Doyle and Congressman Green couldn't be more clear or more important.'"

LINK: Fox In Milwaukee

And...

Actor Michael J. Fox was campaigning for Doyle in Milwaukee Monday. Fox has Parkinson's disease and believes stem cell research could lead to a cure.

Fox is supporting Doyle and other candidates across the country who support embryonic stem cell research. "America is about hope, it's about promise, it's about always moving forward and we deserve leaders who will deliver that hope to their constituents," Fox said at a rally in Milwaukee.

"What is at stake is Wisconsin's future as the absolute center of medical research that may one day find the cures for diseases that we long thought to be incurable," said Doyle.

Challenger Mark Green wants limited use of stem cells and accused Doyle of wooing the "Hollywood vote." "He's (Doyle) looking to Hollywood. I'm looking to Appleton, Neenah, Oshkosh, West Bend, Port Washington, Green Bay, Hudson, Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, all over the place," Green said.

LINK: Governor's Election

Here are some pictures...

Mr. Michael J. Fox

United States Senator Herb Kohl

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle

You can check out the rest of my album at my facebook page.

All in all, the event was amazing. I was excused from class to attend it, and it was worth every minute.

I'm glad I voted Doyle for Michael J. Fox.

-Mr. Joseph