Corrina_Sullivan's Blog

NEW YORK (AP) -- Republican John McCain says he's directing his staff to work with Barack Obama's campaign and the debate commission to delay Friday's debate because of the economic crisis.

In a statement, McCain says he will stop campaigning after addressing former President Bill Clinton's Global Initiative session on Thursday and return to Washington to focus on the nation's financial problems.

McCain also said he wants President Bush to convene a leadership meeting in Washington. Both he and Obama would attend the session.

What do you make of McCain's decision?  Think Obama will follow his lead suspending his campaign?

Update: Senator Obama says he doesn't want to delay the debate.  Obama also says the most important thing he and John McCain can do is issue a joint statement letting Congress and Americans know there is unity to get something passed.

Thanks for blogging,
Corrina

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The majestic grizzly bear, once king of the Western wilderness but threatened with extinction for a third of a century, has roared back in Montana. The finding, from a $4.8 million, five-year study of grizzly bear DNA criticized by Republican presidential candidate John McCain as pork barrel spending, could help ease restrictions on oil and gas drilling, logging and other development.

Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey announced Tuesday that there are approximately 765 bears in northwestern Montana. That's the largest population of grizzly bears documented there in more than 30 years, and a sign that the species could be at long last rebounding.

The first-ever scientific census shattered earlier estimates that said there were at least 250-350 bears roaming the area. More recent data placed the minimum population at around 563 bears.

Do you agree with McCain?

Thanks for blogging,

Corrina

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman says America needs a president that can be counted on in a time of war. For him, the candidate is Republican Sen. John McCain. The Democrat-turned independent says that while Sen. Barack Obama was voting to cut off funding for troops in Iraq, McCain took the unpopular position to support a surge in troops. "Because of that, today, our troops are at last beginning to come home, not in failure, but in honor," Lieberman says in excerpts that were released in advance of his speech Tuesday to the Republican National Convention. Lieberman says that in times like these, country matters more than political parties.

What do you think about Lieberman speaking at the Republican National Convention?

Thanks for blogging,

Corrina

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- In a day of stunning disclosures, John McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, said Monday her 17-year-old unmarried daughter was five months pregnant, and it was revealed an attorney was hired to defend the governor in a probe into the firing of her public safety commissioner.

The revelations threatened to steal any remaining thunder from Day One of the Republican National Convention, which already was overshadowed by Hurricane Gustav -- and brought unwanted attention to the 44-year-old governor, a self-described "hockey mom" with little experience on the national stage. The GOP convention had already been scaled back because of the hurricane, and just three days after McCain named Palin as his vice presidential running mate.

Coming after the randomness of Gustav, the revelations added to the sense of unscriptedness hanging over the convention. "Life happens," said McCain adviser Steve Schmidt, talking about the pregnancy story. "An American family," added colleague Mark Salter.

In a brief respite from partisanship, Democratic rival Barack Obama weighed in: "I think people's families are off limits and people's children are especially off limits."

McCain aides said the announcement about the pregnancy of Palin's daughter, Bristol, was aimed at rebutting Internet rumors that Palin's own youngest son, born in April, was actually the daughter's The national convention, which a political party counts on to send its candidate surging into the fall campaign, already had been relegated to a distant second to the hurricane on TV, in newspapers and on Internet Web sites.

The pregnancy statement, attributed to Sarah and Todd Palin and released by the campaign, said that Bristol Palin would keep her baby and marry the child's father, identified only as a young man named Levi. The baby is due in late December.

"Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents," Sarah and Todd Palin said in their brief statement.

Palin had told McCain's team about the pregnancy during lengthy discussions about her background, aides said. At several points, McCain's team warned Palin that the scrutiny into her private life would be intense and there was nothing she could do to prepare for it.

What do you make of today's announcement?

Thanks for blogging,
Corrina

DENVER (AP) -- John McCain is airing a one-evening-only ad with a simple message for Barack Obama: "Job well done." The ad coincides with Obama's nomination acceptance speech. McCain congratulates Obama for his nomination. McCain recognizes the symbolism of a black man accepting the nomination on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The ad will run Thursday on national cable television before and after Obama's address. McCain says: "Senator Obama, this is truly a good day for America. Too often the achievements of our opponents go unnoticed. So I wanted to stop and say, congratulations. How perfect that your nomination would come on this historic day. Tomorrow, we'll be back at it. But tonight Senator, job well done."

What do you think? Classy or suspect?

Thanks for blogging,

Corrina

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama's potential running mates ducked, dodged and semi-denied their way through a day of political intrigue Friday as the Democratic presidential contender readied a high-tech announcement of his pick for vice president.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooooo," Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius told reporters who asked for her latest thoughts on the months-long search.

Three days before Democrats open their convention in Denver, several officials said Rep. Chet Edwards, whose district includes President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, had made the roster of potential running mates. Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware and Evan Bayh of Indiana were also in the mix, as were Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sebelius -- and any unknown others Obama had managed to keep secret despite intense scrutiny. Hillary Rodham Clinton's prospects remained unlikely.

...Obama told reporters on Thursday he had made his choice, and aides used the prospect of a text-message announcement to try and attract additional supporters by soliciting their cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Even that became occasion for intrigue.

Late Friday, several officials said the text message announcement would be distributed Saturday morning, a few hours before a scheduled rally at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., where the Democratic ticket would appear for the first time.

Several GOP officials said Friday that Arizona Sen. McCain, Obama's Republican rival, had not settled on a running mate -- nor offered the job to anyone -- although former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty were under serious consideration. It's likely McCain will wait to see who Obama selects before picking his running mate.

Officials said the campaign also was preparing for an "unconventional" nominee, an indication that oft-mentioned former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, an abortion-rights supporter, or Connecticut Democrat-turned-independent Joe Lieberman still could be in the running. That category also could include non-politicians whom McCain deeply admires, such as Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Two officials close to Romney said he had not been offered the job.

We want you to make your predictions.  Who do you think Obama will pick? How about McCain?

Thanks for blogging.

Have a nice weekend,

Corrina

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Gov. Charlie Crist has dropped his long-standing support for the federal moratorium on offshore drilling. Crist on Tuesday endorsed Sen. John McCain's proposal to instead let each state decide whether to drill for oil and natural gas in waters off its shores. Crist has been mentioned as a possible running mate for McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee. The governor says the nation needs to look at all options in response to rising fuel prices. Most Florida politicians have opposed drilling because they've been afraid it might damage the state's beaches that are vital to its tourism-dependent economy.

What do you make of this change of heart?

Thanks for blogging,

Corrina

FLINT, Mich. (AP) -- Al Gore says he is backing Barack Obama and will do whatever he can to help him get to the White House. In a letter to be e-mailed to Obama supporters, Gore says Obama has united a movement over the past year and a half. The former vice president also asks for donations to help fund Obama's effort -- the first time he's asked members of his Web site AlGore.com to contribute to a political campaign. Gore is one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, but he kept a low profile in the primary campaign. He's planning to appear with Obama at a rally in Detroit Monday night.

How much do you think this will help Obama?

Thanks for blogging,
Corrina

(AP)-- TV-HUCKABEE-FOX NEWS -- Mike Huckabee, a former Republican presidential hopeful, has been hired by Fox News Channel as a political commentator.

We report.  You decide. 

Have a nice weekend,

Corrina

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Barack Obama has won the endorsement of four new superdelegates helping push him toward the Democratic presidential nomination, including a backer of rival Hillary Rodham Clinton. The support comes the day after Obama's victory in North Carolina and closer than expected finish behind Clinton in Indiana. Among the supporters is Virginia's Jennifer McClellan, who used to support Clinton. The Obama campaign announced three other supporters -- North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Meek, North Carolina Democratic National Committee member Jeanette Council, and California DNC member Inola Henry. Clinton picked up another delegate in Rep. Heath Shuler, who said he would support whoever won his district in North Carolina.

Think it's time for Sen. Clinton to quit? Think her fight for the nomination is only helping Sen. McCain?

Looking forward to your blogs,
Corrina

(AP Religion Writer) Sen. Barack Obama's break with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is putting black pastors and their congregations in a difficult position, their loyalties divided between a politician who could be the first black president and a celebrated preacher who many believe has been vilified.

The situation is complicated, ministers say, because there's a sense that both men have been treated unfairly -- and that both have made mistakes. Many black ministers defended Wright when his more incendiary remarks became an Internet sensation in March, saying context was needed to understand the black church's tradition of challenging injustice.

But Wright lost some of that support after his Monday appearance at the National Press Club in Washington, during which he claimed the U.S. government was capable of planting AIDS in the black community, praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and suggested that Obama was acting like a politician by putting his pastor at arm's length while privately agreeing with him. The performance was enough for Obama to denounce Wright's comments as "divisive and destructive." That was just six weeks after he portrayed Wright, in a well-received speech on race, as a family member he couldn't disown.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks for blogging,
Corrina

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- Former first lady Nancy Reagan planned to endorse John McCain for president on Tuesday, as the Arizona senator continued to collect the backing of leading Republicans who might help him win over critical conservative voters. Now certain to win the GOP nomination, McCain is on the west coast this week to raise money. He was to stop by the Southern California home of former President Ronald Reagan's widow to accept her endorsement. In a statement before the event, Reagan said she typically waits until after the GOP convention to announce her support but she decided to do so now because it is clear the Republican Party has chosen its nominee. "John McCain has been a good friend for over thirty years," Reagan said. "My husband and I first came to know him as a returning Vietnam War POW, and were impressed by the courage he had shown through his terrible ordeal. I believe John's record and experience have prepared him well to be our next president." Reagan's eventual support was expected, and she will become the latest Republican heavyweight to fall in line behind McCain. She and McCain have long been close, and it was only a matter of time before she spoke up for her friend. Her endorsement could help McCain shore up the backing of conservatives in Republican base that long has viewed him skeptically for his record of breaking with the party on some issues they hold dear. At the same time, Reagan's nod also could help further align him with the former president who attracted Democratic as well as Republican voters.

Do you agree?  Think Mrs. Reagan's endorsement could help shore up the backing of conservatives in the Republican base?

Thanks for blogging,
Corrina