Barack Obama wants to expand the U.S. Foreign Service and employ immigrants in diplomatic efforts, seeking utilize their linguistic fluencies and cultural ties, according to a position paper released today by his campaign.
The paper, sent to reporters via email, outlined Obama' policies on Latin America as John McCain travels to Colombia and Mexico for a three-day trip.
Obama would expand the U.S. Foreign Service--a corps of roughly 12,000 State Dept. diplomats primarily serving abroad--by 25 percent, adding more language specialists, economists, and experts on agriculture, health, and economic development, the paper said. The Foreign Service makes up about one fifth of the State Dept.
The Illinois Democrat would also employ U.S. immigrants in diplomacy, seeking to harness their "familial, cultural, economic, and language ties" abroad.
Read more...
Barack Obama set specific goals Wednesday for increased military and community service under an Obama presidency.
Obama, in a speech in Colorado Springs, Colo., said he would seek to increase ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines and quadruple the size of the AmeriCorps program, from 75,000 participants to 250,000.
Obama rued the lack of a call for service in the aftermath of 9/11.
"The burden of service has fallen almost exclusively onto the backs of our military and their families, who have endured tour after tour after tour of duty, bravely and brilliantly, even though they haven't always gotten the care and support that they have earned," he said.
Obama also proposed an increase in the USA Freedom Corps program to make it easier for Americans to find volunteer opportunities. As president, Obama would also set a goal for middle and high school students to perform community service 50 hours a week each year and for college students to perform 100 hours annually. And Obama said he would start a network for social investment funds, to increase money given to non-profit groups.
"Now, I'm not going to tell you what your role should be. That's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part, ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history," he said. "I'm asking you to change history's course."
John McCain leads Barack Obama in both Florida and Georgia, according to new polls by Republican firm Strategic Vision.
In Florida, McCain gets 49 percent to Obama's 41 percent. Bob Barr, the former GOP congressman from Georgia who is running as the Libertarian Party's candidate, gets 1 percent.
In Georgia, McCain receives 51 percent, Obama gets 43 percent and Barr receives 3 percent.
A group of researchers said they've pinpointed George Washington's boyhood house, and they've confirmed that it had no cherry tree, according to the New York Times.
The house was located near Fredericksburg, Va., about 50 miles south of Washington.
"On the subject of legend, the archaeologists who made the discovery could no more tell a lie than young George," writes the Times' John Noble Wilford. The archaeologists found no cherry tree or hatchet nearby.
John McCain's campaign today announced it will air a Spanish language radio ad in Florida plugging free trade with Latin America, specifically President Bush's proposed C0lombia free trade agreement.
Former Florida Director of Tourism, Commerce and Economic Affairs Tony Villamil narrates the ad, saying (in Spanish), "In this election, there are some that talk about revising the Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada and oppose the Agreement with Colombia. This would hurt our economic future."
McCain is in Colombia today and will travel to Mexico tomorrow, where he is expected to talk about free trade with government and business leaders. President Bush sent the Colombia free trade agreement to Congress in April; it has stalled amid opposition from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
More than 41,000 people have already signed a petition on LiebermanMustGo.com that calls for removing Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) from his Senate committee chairmanship.
Read more about the online effort to push Lieberman from his post as Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in Manu Raju's story on TheHill.com.
Below is the video featured on the petition's website that compiles statements by Lieberman that have annoyed liberal activists.
Rep. Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) and his wife, Rev. Betsy Singleton, are expecting triplets.
"Obviously, the pregnancy is still very early, but so far everything and everyone looks fine. We appreciate all the good thoughts and prayers now and in the weeks and months to come," Snyder, 60, told the Associated Press.
Singleton is 10 1/2 weeks pregnant. Their first and only child was born two years ago.
Rep. Chet Edwards (Texas), mentioned as a possible Democratic vice presidential nominee, wouldn't answer directly when asked Tuesday whether he has spoken to Barack Obama's campaign about joining the ticket, the Associated Press reported.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had said that Edwards should be on Obama's veep shortlist last month.
Edwards told the AP Tuesday that he "cannot imagine that many Americans would not consider it a privilege" to be considered as a vice presidential nominee.
John McCain raised the bar in the ongoing dust up between his campaign and the Barack Obama camp over retired Gen. Wesley Clark, saying it is time to cut Clark loose.
"I think it's up to Senator Obama now to not only repudiate him but cut him loose," McCain told reporters on his press plane en route to Colombia, according to CNN.
The two camps have been sparring over Clark since Sunday, when Clark said on Face the Nation that McCain's military experience is not a "qualification to be president."
Many within the McCain camp have charged Clark with "denigrating" McCain's military service. Obama has rejected Clark's comment.
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
