400-408 – • IHT, Transcript of the Democratic debate in Philadelphia.
Obama's Original San Francisco "Bitter" Quote: "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them...And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
Quotes from last night's debate.
• 2) BO, "And so the point I was making was that when people feel like Washington's not listening to them, when they're promised year after year, decade after decade, that their economic situation is going to change, and it doesn't, then politically they end up focusing on those things that are constant, like religion. They end up feeling "This is a place where I can find some refugee. This is something that I can count on." They end up being much more concerned about votes around things like guns, where traditions have been passed on from generation to generation. And those are incredibly important to them. And yes, what is also true is that wedge issues, hot-button issues, end up taking prominence in our -- in our politics. And part of the problem is that when those issues are exploited, we never get to solve the issues that people really have to get some relief on, whether it's health care or education or jobs."
• 3) HC, "I don't believe that my grandfather or my father, or the many people whom I have had the privilege of knowing and meeting across Pennsylvania over many years, cling to religion when Washington is not listening to them. I think that is a fundamental, sort of, misunderstanding of the role of religion and faith in times that are good and times that are bad. And I similarly don't think that people cling to their traditions, like hunting and guns, either when they are frustrated with the government. I just don't believe that's how people live their lives."
•• 5) HC, "It is clear that, as leaders, we have a choice who we associate with and who we apparently give some kind of seal of approval to. And I think that it wasn't only the specific remarks, but some of the relationships with Reverend Farrakhan, with giving the church bulletin over to the leader of Hamas to put a message in. You know, these are problems, and they raise questions in people's minds. And so this is a legitimate area, as everything is when we run for office, for people to be exploring and trying to find answers."
413-423 – •• 7) GS, "A gentleman named William Ayers, he was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol and other buildings. He's never apologized for that. And in fact, on 9/11 he was quoted in The New York Times saying, "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel we didn't do enough." An early organizing meeting for your state senate campaign was held at his house, and your campaign has said you are friendly. Can you explain that relationship for the voters, and explain to Democrats why it won't be a problem?"
••• 8) BO, "This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in Chicago, who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis. And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values, doesn't make much sense, George. The fact is, is that I'm also friendly with Tom Coburn, one of the most conservative Republicans in the United States Senate, who during his campaign once said that it might be appropriate to apply the death penalty to those who carried out abortions. Do I need to apologize for Mr. Coburn's statements? Because I certainly don't agree with those either."
•• 9) HC, "Well, I think that is a fair general statement, but I also believe that Senator Obama served on a board with Mr. Ayers for a period of time, the Woods Foundation, which was a paid directorship position. And if I'm not mistaken, that relationship with Mr. Ayers on this board continued after 9/11 and after his reported comments, which were deeply hurtful to people in New York, and I would hope to every American, because they were published on 9/11 and he said that he was just sorry they hadn't done more. And what they did was set bombs and in some instances people died. So it is -- you know, I think it is, again, an issue that people will be asking about. And I have no doubt -- I know Senator Obama's a good man and I respect him greatly but I think that this is an issue that certainly the Republicans will be raising."
•• 10) BO, "I'm going to have to respond to this just really quickly, but by Senator Clinton's own vetting standards, I don't think she would make it, since President Clinton pardoned or commuted the sentences of two members of the Weather Underground, which I think is a slightly more significant act than me -- AUDIENCE MEMBER: (Applauds.) MR. GIBSON: Please. SENATOR OBAMA: -- than me serving on a board with somebody for actions that he did 40 years ago."
428-437 – •• 11) CG, "So if the military commanders in Iraq came to you on day one and said this kind of withdrawal would destabilize Iraq, it would set back all of the gains that we have made, no matter what, you're going to order those troops to come home?"
•• 12) HC, "Yes, I am, Charlie. And here's why: You know, thankfully we have a system in our country of civilian control of the military. And our professional military are the best in the world. They give their best advice and then they execute the policies of the president. I have watched this president as he has continued to change the rationale and move the goalposts when it comes to Iraq. And I am convinced that it is in America's best interest, it is in the best interest of our military, and I even believe it is in the best interest of Iraq."
•• 13) CG-HC, "MR. GIBSON: But Senator Clinton, aren't you saying -- I mean, General Petraeus was in Washington. You both were there when he testified, saying that the gains in Iraq are fragile and are reversible. Are you essentially saying, "I know better than the military commanders here"? SENATOR CLINTON: No, what I'm saying, Charlie, is that no one can predict what will happen. There are many different scenarios. But one thing I am sure of is that our staying in Iraq, our continuing to lose our men and women in uniform, having many injured, the Iraqi casualties that we are seeing as well, is -- is no way for us to maintain a strong position in the world."
•• 14) BO, "So you'd give the same rock-hard pledge, that no matter what the military commanders said, you would give the order: Bring them home. SENATOR OBAMA: Because the commander in chief sets the mission, Charlie. That's not the role of the generals."
[ECONOMY]
• 15) CG-HC, "And if the economy is as weak a year from now as it is today, will you -- will you persist in your plans to roll back President Bush's tax cuts for wealthier Americans? SENATOR CLINTON: Well, George, I have made a commitment that I will let the taxes on people making more than $250,000 a year go back to the rates that they were paying in the 1990s. MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Even if the economy is weak? SENATOR CLINTON: Yes. And here's why: Number one, I do not believe that it will detrimentally affect the economy by doing that. As I recall, you know, we used that tool during the 1990s to very good effect and I think we can do so again."
•••16) CG-BO, "You have however said you would favor an increase in the capital gains tax. As a matter of fact, you said on CNBC, and I quote, "I certainly would not go above what existed under Bill Clinton, which was 28 percent." It's now 15 percent. That's almost a doubling if you went to 28 percent. But actually Bill Clinton in 1997 signed legislation that dropped the capital gains tax to 20 percent. SENATOR OBAMA: Right. MR. GIBSON: And George Bush has taken it down to 15 percent. SENATOR OBAMA: Right. MR. GIBSON: And in each instance, when the rate dropped, revenues from the tax increased. The government took in more money. And in the 1980s, when the tax was increased to 28 percent, the revenues went down. So why raise it at all, especially given the fact that 100 million people in this country own stock and would be affected? SENATOR OBAMA: Well, Charlie, what I've said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness. We saw an article today which showed that the top 50 hedge fund managers made $29 billion last year -- $29 billion for 50 individuals. And part of what has happened is that those who are able to work the stock market and amass huge fortunes on capital gains are paying a lower tax rate than their secretaries. That's not fair."
• 21) CG-HC, "MR. GIBSON: People are in trouble. And yet the whole world pays a whole lot more for gas than we do. What are you going to do about it? SENATOR CLINTON: Well, I met with a group of truckers in Harrisburg about a week and a half ago, and here's what I told them. Number one, we are going to investigate these gas prices. The federal government has certain tools that this administration will not use, in the Federal Trade Commission and other ways, through the Justice Department, because I believe there is market manipulation going on, particularly among energy traders. We've seen this movie before, in Enron, and we've got to get to the bottom to make sure we're not being taken advantage of. Number two, I would quit putting oil into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and I would release some to help drive the price down globally.
• Larry Elder, Obama is 'Bitterly' Out of Touch.
443-452 – Mark Brewer, senior pastor at Bel Air Presbyterian Church (belairpres.org), premiers this Sunday at 11:30am with his show Real Life. He's just started a series entitled Give Me Jesus, Hold the Church.
458-508 – Lee Strobel (leestrobel.com) is out with his latest, The Case for the Real Jesus. Lee, along with Sean McDowell and Daniel Wallace, a leading expert on the text of the New Testament, are holding a conference at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools May 16th and 17th in San Juan Capistrano. Lee will be answering Bart Ehrman's claims in Misquoting Jesus. The conference starts at 7pm on Friday and 8am Saturday morning. Register at cvcs.org or by calling (949) 493-5683.
512-523 – Jeff Kemp, former NFL quarterback and son of Jack Kemp, is president of Families Northwest (familiesnorthwest.org), a pro-marriage organization in Redmond, Washington, and he reports on an important new study that reveals the cost of divorce in America.
• Life Site News (4/16), Marriage Breakdown Costs Taxpayers at Least $112 Billion a Year Reveals New Study.
• American Values (4/15), Study Fact Sheet.
528-539 – Paul Pennington, executive director of the Hope for Orphans program for Family Life Ministries (familylife.com) and Elizabeth Styffe, Director of Orphan Initiative at Saddleback Church (saddleback.com), tell us about the If You Were Mine conference this Saturday at the Lake Forest campus of Saddleback from 8am to 1pm. The If You Were Mine conference provides a relaxed atmosphere where couples considering adoption can get the information they need about adoption from a biblical perspective. Register at (familylife.com) or by calling (800) 358-6329.
544-554 – (6:54) VP Dick Cheney yucks it up at the radio correspondence dinner last night.
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558-608 – (3:08) Jason Beghe talks about how scientology is false. Profanity has been bleeped out or spliced out.
612-623 – Your experience with Scientology?
628-639 – Your experience with Scientology?
644-655 – Your experience with Scientology?
• Ted Olsen (4/16, Christianity Today) Where Jim Wallis Stands: The longtime activist on abortion, gay marriage, Iraq — and biblical orthodoxy.
• Roger Friedman, Is Oprah Starting Her Own Cult?
• Kelley Shannon, States' death row injections get OK after high court ruling.
• Jerry Bowyer, James Madison to America: This Is What We Warned You About.
• Amanda Carpenter, Democrats Block Resolution to Commend Pope.
• Ann Coulter, Obama Woos Gun-Toting God Nuts.
