The Political Update

Monday

Theme: “One Nation”

* DNC Chairman Howard Dean

* Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper

* Rep. Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House

* Sen. Claire McCaskill, Missouri

* Former President Carter

* Tribute to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy

* Jerry Kellman, Chicago community organizer

* Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama’s half sister

* Craig Robinson, Obama’s brother- in-law

* Michelle Obama, Obama’s wife

Tuesday

Theme: “Renewing America’s Promise”

* Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas

* Gov. Janet Napolitano, Arizona

* Gov. Ted Strickland, Ohio

* Gov. Ed Rendell, Pennsylvania

* Sen. Bob Casey Jr., Pennsylvania

* John Sweeney, AFL-CIO President

* Gov. Deval Patrick, Massachusetts

* Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Montana

* Federico Pena, formerly mayor of Denver and secretary of transportation and energy, Obama campaign national co-chairman

* Sen. Hillary Clinton, New York

* Gov. Mark Warner, Virginia

Wednesday

Theme: “Securing America’s Future”

* Former President Clinton

* Gov. Bill Richardson, New Mexico

* Sen. Evan Bayh, Indiana

* Sen. Joe Biden, Delaware

* Sen. Jay Rockefeller, West Virginia

* Mayor Richard Daley, Chicago

* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada

* Sen. Ken Salazar, Colorado

* Sen. John Kerry, Massachusetts

* House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, South Carolina

* Rep. Patrick Murphy, Pennsylvania

* Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth

* Sen. Joe Biden

Thursday

Theme: “Change You Can Believe In”

* Former Vice President Al Gore

* Gov. Bill Ritter

* Sen. Barack Obama

Find out all your state’s details at this gem of a website dveloped by the Harvard Institute of Politics.

Check out www.absenteeguide.com

Former Virgina governor Mark Warner will deliver the Keynote address of the Democrat Convention on the second day, August 26. He is also running for the U.S. Senate. He is opposing Republican Jim Gilmore, and he, at the time this is written, is leading by 24%.

For in depth polls in Warner’s Senate race, click here.

Read more about his keynote address and the convention here.

Visit Mark Warner’s Campaign website here.

Both the Clintons have agreed to speak at the Democratic National Convention, which will begin on Monday, August 25th in Denver, Colorado. Bill Clinton will speak on Wednesday. Hillary will speak on Tuesday during Prime Time. Tuesday marks the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment (woman’s suffrage).

Read more about the Clintons at the Democrat Convention here.

The highly controversial Federal Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA) passed yesterday, July 9, 2008, in the Senate 69 votes to 28 votes. President Bush is shortly expected to sign it into law. This bill will make the Bush wiretaps legal and ensure that the telecommunications companies that conducted them cannot be prosecuted for breaking the law.

There was added drama on the internet and on the far left when Democratic nominee Barack Obama did not vote against the bill. His vote broke with many other Democrats including Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold, Chris Dodd, John Kerry, Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, and Joe Biden.

See the official voting record here.

Read the Associated Press story here.

Sen. Obama has just released a more in-depth stance on the recent FISA legislation.

Read it here.

The Obama for America presidential campaign released a candid video narrated by Campaign Manager David Plouffe.  I recommend you watch it.

See the strategy session below:

In a decision bound to please the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Supreme Court has ruled that a Washington DC ban on hand guns is unconstitutional because it is in conflict with the 2nd Amendment’s “right to bear arms” clause. This decision may reverberate in other large cities across America.

Read the Associated Press story here.

Barack Obama announced at a “unity” fundraiser at Washington’s Mayflower Hotel that he will help Hillary Clinton pay off her campaign debt. He did his share by donating the maximum amount, $2300.

Read more here.

A controversial statement from the the “perennial” third-party candidate.

See the Boston Globe article here.