2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

John McCain Straight Talk Town Hall Photos Lakeville Minnesota

John McCain Straight Talk Town Hall Photos Lakeville Minnesota

McCain-Palin 2008 Launches New TV Ad: "Ambition"

MCCAIN-PALIN 2008 LAUNCHES NEW TV AD: "AMBITION"

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 released its latest television ad, entitled "Ambition." The ad highlights Barack Obama's blind ambition that led him to work with unrepentant domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, but when running for president, lie about his longstanding relationship and his bad judgment. Like Barack Obama, his Congressional liberal allies demonstrated their bad judgment in fighting for risky sub-prime loans and against more regulation. Today, millions of Americans are paying for the bad judgment Barack Obama and Congressional liberals demonstrated concerning housing policy. The ad will be televised nationally.

Script For "Ambition" (TV :30)

ANNCR: Obama's blind ambition.

When convenient, he worked with terrorist Bill Ayers.

When discovered, he lied.

Obama. Blind ambition. Bad judgment.

Congressional liberals fought for risky sub-prime loans.

Congressional liberals fought against more regulation.

Then, the housing market collapsed costing you billions.

In crisis, we need leadership, not bad judgment.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

Hillary Clinton's Plan To Protect American Homeowners

Hillary Clinton Press Releases addressing the Housing Crisis during the 2008 Campaign

3/24/2008

Hillary Clinton's Plan to Protect American Homeowners

Impact for African American Families and Communities
Today, Senator Clinton announced her plan to protect American homeowners from the growing housing crisis, which threatens to drive our economy into a painful downturn. The housing crisis has a disproportionate impact on African-American families, and threatens to set back the gains in homeownership among African-Americans that we have seen over the past decades.

"Over the past week, we’ve seen unprecedented action to maintain confidence in our credit markets and head off a crisis for Wall Street Banks. It’s now time for equally aggressive action to help families avoid foreclosure and keep communities across this country from spiraling into recession,” said Clinton. “The solution I’ve proposed is a sensible way for everyone – lenders, investors, mortgage companies and borrowers - to share responsibility, keep families in their homes, and stabilize our communities and our economy."

There is a significant impact in the African American community, consider:

Fifty-two percent of mortgages to African-American families in 2006 were subprime loans, compared with 22 percent for white families. [Center for Responsible Lending, 2007]

African-American borrowers were 2.7 times more likely to be issued a high-cost loan and 1.8 times more likely to be issued a high-cost refinance loan than white borrowers. [ACORN, 2007].

African-American women are particularly at risk: they received subprime mortgages at the highest rate of any demographic group - despite having slightly higher credit than their male counterparts. [Consumer Federation of America, 2006]

Senator Clinton has been speaking out for over a year on the need to take action to address our housing crisis, and has been out in front in calling for major reforms: from cracking down on unscrupulous mortgage lenders to establishing a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures and a five-year interest rate freeze on subprime mortgages. After more than a year of downplaying the problems in our housing market and criticizing Senator Clinton’s proposals, the Bush Administration now says it is willing to consider more aggressive action. But the time for mere consideration has passed. That’s why today Senator Clinton proposed a new plan to protect American homeowners. Her efforts will directly help African American families and communities:

Senator Clinton’s new action to help at-risk homeowners restructure their mortgages will help African-American families stay in their homes. Senator Clinton believes we should extend the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) capacity to guarantee restructured mortgages as proposed by Rep. Frank and Sen. Dodd, and that the government should stand ready to play a more proactive role in purchasing, restructuring, and reselling underwater mortgages. These steps will help hundreds of thousands of African-American families avoid foreclosure and maintain the value of their homes.

Senator Clinton’s $30 billion fund for states and localities will help African-American communities fight the foreclosure crisis in their neighborhoods. Senator Clinton understands that communities with high rates of subprime lending and mounting foreclosures are at risk of falling into devastating downward economic spirals. She believes that if we can extend a $30 billion lifeline for a Wall Street bank, we should be able to extend $30 billion to help these communities stem the impact of mounting foreclosures. Subprime lending has been particularly prevalent in majority African-American communities. In New York City, for example, 46 percent of mortgages in the African-American neighborhood of Jamaica, Queens, were subprime, compared to just over 3 percent in mostly-white Bay Ridge, Brooklyn – despite nearly identical median household incomes. As foreclosures mount, Senator Clinton’s $30 billion lifeline can be used to buy and rehabilitate foreclosed properties and ward off blight. Senator Clinton is committed to providing these neighborhoods with tools they deserve to weather the storm as the mortgage crisis deepens, including:

Supporting Efforts to End Discriminatory Lending Practices. There is substantial evidence of discriminatory lending practices in the subprime industry. As one lawyer from the NAACP observed “it’s almost as if subprime lenders put a circle around neighborhoods of color.” Senator Clinton’s $30 billion fund will provide support for community-based efforts to investigate and pursue claims against discriminatory lending practices.
Encouraging Responsible Borrowing. Senator Clinton’s $30 billion housing stimulus will also support homeowner counseling and education programs to make sure families have the information they need to make the right decisions. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have estimated that between one-third and one-half of all subprime borrowers could have qualified for prime mortgages.

3/24/2008

FACT CHECK: Sen. Obama Accepts Over $1 Million From Subprime Lending Industry

The Obama campaign’s response to the comprehensive plan Hillary laid out to address the housing crisis today was not to discuss their disagreement with her proposal but to assert that Hillary has received contributions from subprime loan companies.

Considering that Sen. Obama has received $1.18 million from subprime lenders and has taken more campaign contributions from the top ten issuers of subprime loans, that attack rings hollow as just words. Sen. Obama has a record of talking about standing up to special interests and then caving to their demands. Hillary has a 35-year record of standing up to special interests and delivering results.

Obama has taken $1,180,103 from the top issuers of subprime loans. [cq.com]

Obama received $266,907 from Lehman. [Cq.com]

Obama received $5395 from GMAC. [Cq.com]

Obama received $150,850 from CS First Boston. [Cq.com]

Obama received $11,250 from Countrywide. [Cq.com]

Obama received $9052 from Washington Mutual. [Cq.com]

Obama received $161,850 from Citigroup. [Cq.com]

Obama received $4600 from CBASS. [Cq.com]

Obama received $170,050 from Morgan Stanley. [Cq.com]

Obama received $1150 from Centex. [Cq.com]

Obama received $351,900 from Goldman Sachs. [Cq.com]

Sen. Obama has taken more money from the top 10 issuers of subprime loans than Hillary. Sen. Obama has received $434,420 from the top 10 issuers of subprime loans. Hillary has received $364,950. [Cq.com; USA Today]

December 5, 2007

Hillary Calls On Wall Street To Address Housing Crisis

Hillary goes to the Nasdaq stock exchange today to call on Wall Street to help clean up the housing foreclosure crisis it helped create. Wall Street not only enabled reckless mortgage lending, it encouraged it - 1.8 million home foreclosure notices have been filed this year, a 74% increase from 2006. Now it’s time for lenders, homeowners and investors to come together to solve this crisis and stem the tide of foreclosures.

Hillary will challenge lenders and financial institutions to take three immediate steps today: 1) Voluntarily support a moratorium of at least 90 days on home foreclosures; 2) freeze the fluctuating rates on subprime loans for at least 5 years until they can be converted into fixed rate, affordable loans; 3) Require regular status reports on the progress they’re making in converting unworkable mortgages into loans families can afford so we have real accountability.

Hillary is proposing a comprehensive work out - not a bail out - that would end the foreclosure crisis. If Wall Street refuses to act, Hillary will propose legislation to tackle the problems in the housing market head on.

As we see growing economic challenges - from the housing crisis to rising energy costs-- it’s clear that we need a leader with Hillary Clinton’s strength and experience to create the change America needs. Hillary has proposed allocating up to $5 billion in immediate assistance to help communities and distressed homeowners weather the foreclosure crisis, and called for $1 billion in emergency energy assistance for families facing skyrocketing heating bills this winter.

FORECLOSURE MORATORIUM: Hillary will call for a moratorium on home foreclosures of at least 90 days so that a rate freeze can take effect and at-risk homeowners can get financial counseling to help them transition to affordable loans.

FREEZE ADJUSTABLE RATE LOANS: The rate freeze must last at least 5 years, or until subprime mortgages have been converted into affordable loans. A typical subprime adjustable rate loan is raising monthly payments by 30% to 40% for many families, causing a wave of housing defaults across the country.

REQUIRE ACCOUNTABILITY: Hillary will ask for regular status reports on the progress Wall Street is making in converting unworkable mortgages into loans families can afford.

August 7, 2007

Hillary Clinton Announces Plan to Address Mortgage Lending Abuses; Preserve Dream of Home Ownership

DERRY, NH - With foreclosure rates continuing to skyrocket across the country, Senator Hillary Clinton in Derry, NH today laid out a plan to preserve the American dream of home ownership that would crack down on unscrupulous brokers, curb mortgage lending abuses, assist families facing foreclosure and expand affordable housing options.

"Today, we have a choice. We can look at the statistics, wring our hands, and continue to do nothing, or we can do what America has always done in times of difficulty: acknowledge that we face a real challenge, and confront it head-on with real solutions," said Clinton. "I think the choice is clear. I think we need to act now, with smart, practical solutions to strengthen our housing and mortgage markets. If I were President, I would address abuses across the mortgage industry with a plan to curb unfair lending practices and hold brokers and lenders accountable, give families the support they need to avoid foreclosure, and increase the supply of affordable housing."

New Hampshire resident Kristi Schofield joined Senator Clinton in Derry today. On July 31st, Kristi and her husband Paul lost their home of eight years in East Hamstead, NH because it had been purchased by the bank at a foreclosure auction. Yesterday, their mortgage company asked them to be out of the house in 17 days. They had planned to raise their three children and spend the rest of their lives in their home, but their adjustable rate mortgage payments continued to climb from $2,400 to its current level of $6,000 a month.

"We tried to do the right thing and continued to make the payments as long as we could with our savings and what earnings we had from unemployment, temporary and part time work. My husband had a good job, we had a great home. We were living our dream. Hillary Clinton is standing up today because she wants to help protect the American dream," said Schofield.

Earlier in the year, the problems in mortgages seemed limited mostly to subprime loans. According to the New York Times, nearly 14 percent of subprime borrowers were delinquent in the first quarter. Now, there is increasing evidence that problems have spread beyond just subprime mortgages. There were 1.3 million foreclosures last year, and there have been more than 900,000 foreclosure filings so far this year. In New Hampshire, there were approximately 150 foreclosure filings last year, but there were more than 1,400 in the first six months of this year. The home is the largest asset most people have. The loss of it affects everything from people's economic security, to their retirement plans, to their ability to pay for their children's education.

To make matters worse, home prices are weakening and sales have slowed. It would now take almost nine months to work off the inventory of unsold homes. And this growing problem with mortgages may be limiting access to credit for middle class families. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that "jittery home-mortgage lenders are cutting off credit or raising interest rates for a growing portion of Americans . . ." This threatens to become another hurdle to home ownership, the greatest source of wealth for average Americans.

"We need to put an end to fly-by-night mortgage brokers peddling loans to unqualified applicants based on inflated appraisals. We need to help those facing the pain of foreclosure. We need to secure the marketplace and put reforms in place right now," said Clinton.

Protecting The Dream Of Home Ownership

Senator Clinton's plan will curb mortgage abuses, assist families facing foreclosure, and expand affordable housing to protect the American dream of home ownership. She will introduce her plan when Congress returns in September.

Crack Down on Unscrupulous Brokers:

Require mortgage brokers to disclose to borrowers that their compensation rises when borrowers' mortgage rates and mortgage fees are high. Too many prospective homebuyers believe that the mortgage broker is acting on their behalf. In fact brokers earn more when they steer borrowers to mortgages with higher rates and fees. The broker's and borrower's interests are not always aligned. Borrowers need to be aware of this when assessing the advice brokers give them. To address this need, Hillary will require that brokers disclose to borrowers how they are paid.

Work with states to develop strong licensing standards and require federal registration for mortgage brokers. Unscrupulous brokers have steered people into high cost mortgages, qualified them for loans they could not afford, and attached fees unnecessarily. These brokers are responsible for many of the lending abuses that occurred in recent years, but there is no single, national source for information about individual brokers. Hillary will establish national registration for brokers so that prospective borrowers can easily look up a broker's employment history, violations, complaints, and other information. As President, she will also work with the states to develop strong licensing standards to ensure that mortgage brokers are qualified and properly screened.

Crack Down on Mortgage Lending Abuses:

Eliminate prepayment penalties on mortgage products. Prepayment penalties, which are often used on subprime, Alt-A, and non-traditional mortgages, are a problem for borrowers. These penalties can lock borrowers into loans until the rates and monthly payments escalate. Families should not be discouraged from responsibly paying off their mortgages early, particularly when this would allow them to avoid balloon payments or high floating rates. Studies have shown that loans with prepayment penalties have a 52% greater risk of default than those without. Hillary will restrict the use of prepayment penalties.

Require mortgage lenders to include the cost of taxes and insurance in the underwriting assessment of higher-risk mortgages. Many borrowers fail to consider taxes and insurance costs when weighing whether they can afford a particular mortgage. Sometimes, lenders exclude those costs from the underwriting assessment, and in the process qualify people for mortgages they cannot afford. Hillary will require that taxes and insurance costs be included in the underwriting assessment so that prospective homeowners can properly determine whether they can afford a particular house. This requirement would apply to subprime mortgages, Alt-A mortgages, and non-traditional mortgages like interest-only, no-money-down, and payment option ARMs.

Help Reduce Foreclosures:

Establish a $1 billion fund to assist state programs that help at-risk borrowers avoid foreclosure. Hillary will establish a $1 billion fund to support state programs that help at-risk borrowers avoid foreclosure. Some state programs help borrowers make the single payment necessary to become current on their loans; others help borrowers renegotiate their loan terms, or simply provide financial counseling. These foreclosure mitigation efforts are more important than ever right now. Federal assistance for state programs that assist at-risk borrowers supplements Hillary's call earlier in the year for "foreclosure timeout." At-risk borrowers and lenders should be encouraged to work out alternatives to foreclosure.

Expand Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's Foreclosure Prevention Efforts. Hillary would expand the goals of Fannie and Freddie, the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that help stabilize the mortgage markets, to include helping a larger number of at-risk homeowners avoid foreclosure. This would be consistent with Fannie's and Freddie's existing goals that promote home ownership. The GSEs already help mitigate foreclosures by enabling some borrowers to swap into less risky, lower-cost loans. Fannie also helps homeowners arrange payment forbearance, financial counseling, and loan restructurings. Hillary will expand those initiatives to make foreclosure mitigation a greater priority.

Expand Affordable Housing:

Establish a $1 billion fund to provide federal support to housing trust funds established by state, county, and municipal governments. The rise in home prices over recent years, coupled with stagnant wages, has meant that people are committing an increasing share of their salaries to mortgage payments. Between 2001 and 2004, for example, the number of households paying more than half of their incomes on housing increased by 1.9 million. The Joint Center for Housing Studies estimates that housing is a "severe cost burden" for 15.6 million low- and middle-income households. Families facing such strains often forgo necessities. Other families simply forgo home ownership, or turn to high risk, alternative mortgage products. In order to encourage the development of affordable housing, Hillary will establish a $1 billion fund to support state, county, and municipal housing trust funds. Housing trust funds generally use dedicated funding sources to support initiatives like building subsidized rental housing and safety net housing, and they also support nonprofit housing developers. Hillary's fund will supplement the funding states, counties, and municipalities have already dedicated to these initiatives.

The plan announced today supplements the plan Hillary announced earlier this year to address the problems in subprime mortgages. In that earlier announcement, Hillary called for expanding access to independent face-to-face counseling; restricting prepayment penalties for subprime mortgages; requiring "plain-talk, no-fine-print disclosure"; promoting "foreclosure timeout" in which at-risk borrowers and lenders work out alternatives to foreclosure; and strengthening the Federal Housing Administration so that it could provide more homebuyers with an alternative to the subprime market.

John McCain "Road To Victory Rally" In Davenport, Iowa

Road to Victory Rally with John McCain in Davenport, IA

John McCain will be in Davenport this Saturday, October 11th. To attend the event, please come in to one of the ticket locations below to get a free ticket.

The River Center
136 E. 3rd Street
Davenport, IA 52801

RSVP line: 515-418-9322

Doors open: 8:30 AM, program begins at 10:30 AM.

Free Ticket Locations:

Eastern Iowa Victory Office
1880 E. 54th Street
Davenport, IA 52807
Hours: 9:00am-8:00pm

Northeast Iowa Victory Office
2560 Dodge Street
Dubuque, IA 52003
Hours: 9:00am-8:00pm

Cedar Rapids Area Victory Office
2240 7th Ave East, Suite 5
Marion, Iowa
Hours: 9:00am-8:00pm

Johnson County Regional Victory Office
411 Second Street
Coralville, IA 52241
Hours: 9:00am-8:00pm

Polk County Victory Office
2775 86th Street
Urbandale IA
Hours: 9am to 9pm

*Guests are encouraged to arrive early and are subject to security screening. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: oversized bags, food and beverages of any kind, weapons, and signs (homemade or otherwise). The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other items that are deemed hazardous.

Please wear Republican Red

Senator Biden And Jill Biden To Be Joined By President Clinton And Senator Hillary Clinton At Scranton, Pennsylvania Event

Senator Biden and Jill Biden to be joined by President Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton at Scranton Event
Both Senators have family roots in the area

PHILADELPHIA — Vice presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden will be joined by President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton at a rally on Sunday.  President Clinton and Senator Clinton will speak to voters about how Barack Obama and Joe Biden will fight for middle-class families and make Washington and Wall Street work for Main Street again. Senator Biden will discuss how an Obama/Biden administration will provide desperately needed leadership to restore the middle class, create tens of thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania and change the way Washington works.  Jill Biden will also speak at the rally.

Both Senator Biden and Senator Clinton have strong ties to Scranton: Biden, born and raised there, recently returned to the home where he grew up.  Senator Clinton's family roots are all in Scranton.    

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12

Scranton, PA

CHANGE WE NEED RALLY WITH SENATOR JOE BIDEN, JILL BIDEN, SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON AND PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON

Riverfront Sports Complex
5 West Olive Plaza
Scranton, PA 18508

Doors Open: 1:15 PM
Program Begins:  3:15 PM

This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are NOT required.  However, an RSVP is strongly encouraged.   Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

***For security reasons, do not bring bags. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.***

Michelle Obama To Campaign In St. Paul, Rochester-Area Monday, October 13, 2008

Michelle Obama to Campaign in St. Paul, Rochester-Area Monday

ST. PAUL – Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama, will hold public campaign events on Monday morning in the Rochester-area and in the early evening in the Twin Cities. She will be joined by U.S. Rep. Tim Walz in Rochester and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in St. Paul.

Mrs. Obama will speak with Minnesota voters about the clear choice they have in this election between change and more of the same. She’ll discuss the everyday challenges that working families face as our economy worsens and talk about Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s long records of standing up for women and families. 

MONDAY, OCTOBER 13

Rochester, MN

COMMUNITY EVENT WITH MICHELLE OBAMA

Taylor Arena at the Mayo Civic Center
30 Civic Center Drive SE
Rochester, MN 55902

Program Begins: 12:00 PM

Public Entrance: Front Circle Drive Entrance into the Grand Lobby

The event is free and open to the public.  Free tickets are available at on a first-come, first served basis at the following location:

Ticket Location

Olmstead Co. Obama Campaign for Change Office
401 16th Ave. NW, #105
Right off of 52, just past the Famous Dave's and the Perkins

Tickets Available: 12noon-9pm Saturday and Sunday

For more information contact the Olmstead Co. Obama Campaign for Change office: (507) 536-9785.
 
Parking Information:

Public parking is available in the Civic Center parking ramp and the 1st and 2nd St. parking ramps with ADA parking available.  There are also Pay-by-the-Box parking lots South of the Civic Center.   Limited downtown street parking is also available.

St. Paul, MN

CHANGE WE NEED RALLY WITH MICHELLE OBAMA

Macalester College
Leonard Center
125 Snelling Ave S
St. Paul, MN

Doors Open: 2:30PM
Program Begins: 4:00PM  
 
This event is free and open to the public.  Tickets are NOT required but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Space is available on a first come first serve basis.

***For security reasons, do not bring bags or umbrellas.  Please limit personal belongings.  No signs or banners permitted.***

Tennessee Man Indicted for Alleged Hack of Governor Sarah Palin's E-Mail Account

Tennessee Man Indicted for Alleged Hack of Governor Sarah Palin's E-Mail Account

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- David C. Kernell, 20, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Knoxville, Tenn., for intentionally accessing without authorization the e-mail account of Alaska governor Sarah Palin, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney James R. Dedrick for the Eastern District of Tennessee announced today. Kernell turned himself into federal authorities for arrest and will be arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge C. Clifford Shirley.

The single count indictment, returned on Oct. 7, 2008, and unsealed today, alleges that on approximately Sept. 16, 2008, Kernell, a resident of Knoxville, obtained unauthorized access to Gov. Palin's personal e-mail account by allegedly resetting the account password. According to the indictment, after answering a series of security questions that allowed him to reset the password and gain access to the e-mail account, Kernell allegedly read the contents of the account and made screenshots of the e-mail directory, e-mail content and other personal information. According to the indictment, Kernell posted screenshots of the e-mails and other personal information to a public Web site. Kernell also allegedly posted the new e-mail account password that he had created, thus providing access to the account by others.

If convicted of the charge, the defendant faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a three year term of supervised release. A trial date has not been set.

The case is being prosecuted by Section Chief Michael DuBose and Trial Attorney Mark Krotoski of the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Weddle of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The case is being investigated by the FBI's Anchorage and Knoxville field offices.

An indictment is merely an allegation. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

Presidential TV advertising spending continues to grow; Over $28 million spent from September 28-October 4

Presidential TV advertising spending continues to grow; Over $28 million spent from September 28-October 4

Obama outpacing McCain in nearly all competitive states.
Traditional battleground states continue to receive majority of TV ad spending.

MADISON, WI – Over the past week, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama and their campaigns have spent over $28 million on television advertising. From September 28 through October 4, the Obama campaign spent just under $17.5 million while the McCain campaign and the RNC spent just under $11 million combined. Compared to the first week of September (September 6-13) the amount of campaign advertising has nearly doubled, going from a total of $15.5 million to $28.3 million.

During the similar week in 2004, the Bush and Kerry campaigns and their party and interest group allies spent just over $18 million dollars. As was the case during the first week of September, the Midwest battleground states of Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin received over half the money spent by the two campaigns on television advertising. McCain spent a larger percentage of his advertising budget in these Big 10 battleground states than did Obama (60.2 percent to 46.5 percent respectively). Ohio drew the greatest amount of advertising spending as the Obama campaign spent $2,218,000 and the McCain campaign spent $1,727,000. The Obama campaign also spent over $2 million each in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The McCain campaign did not spend over $2 million in any individual state.

“Ten of the fifteen states where both candidates are advertising were won by Bush in the 2004
election,” said Ken Goldstein, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of
the Wisconsin Advertising Project. “The campaign is being played on the Republican side of the
field this year.”

The Obama campaign is now out-spending the McCain campaign and the RNC in nearly all of
the competitive states. During the first week of September, the McCain campaign was either
ahead or even in ad spending in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire,
New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. But during the week
of September 28-October 4, the only states where McCain out-advertised Obama were Iowa and
Minnesota. Over the past week, the two campaigns were roughly even in spending in Colorado,
Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, the Obama campaign
has outspent the McCain campaign by a margin of over 3 to 1 in Florida, over 2 to 1 in New
Hampshire, over 3 to 2 in Nevada, over 8 to 1 in North Carolina, and over 3 to1 in Virginia.

“Because of Obama’s fundraising advantage, his campaign is able to spend more in more states
than we’ve seen in recent memory,” said Goldstein.

United States Mint Unveils 2009 Presidential $1 Coin Designs

United States Mint Unveils 2009 Presidential $1 Coin Designs

WASHINGTON - The United States Mint today released the four new portraits that will appear on the obverse (heads side) of Presidential $1 Coins in 2009.  The coins honor former Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk and Zachary Taylor. 

"We hope Americans not only appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the Presidential $1 Coins, but also remember each President's legacy every time they use the coins in their daily transactions," said United States Mint Director Ed Moy.  "Presidential $1 Coins are convenient to use, save the taxpayers money, and are durable and last for decades."

Beginning with the William Henry Harrison Presidential $1 Coin next year, "In God We Trust" will appear on the obverse of all Presidential $1 Coins.  As a result, the edge lettering of the 2009 Presidential $1 Coins will be slightly different from that of 2007 and 2008.  Where currently there are single dots (delimiters) between the inscriptions, in 2009 there will be three stars between "E Pluribus Unum" and the mint mark and 10 stars between the year of minting and "E Pluribus Unum."

The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 directed the United States Mint to inscribe the year of minting or issuance, and the national mottos "E Pluribus Unum" and "In God We Trust" on the edge of the Presidential $1 Coin.  In 2008, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which included a provision directing the Secretary of the Treasury to move the inscription "In God We Trust" from the edge of the Presidential $1 Coin to the obverse (heads side) or reverse (tails side) of the coin.

Designs for the 2009 Presidential $1 Coins are based on official White House portraits, intaglio prints and medal designs.  The first Presidential $1 Coin of 2009, struck in honor of our ninth President, William Henry Harrison, bears an image sculpted and designed by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.  The second Presidential $1 Coin of 2009, honoring John Tyler, our Nation's 10th President, bears an image designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill.  The third coin, honoring the 11th President, James K. Polk, features an obverse portrait designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Master Designer Susan Gamble and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles Vickers.  The fourth coin, honoring Zachary Taylor, our 12th President, features an obverse portrait by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart.   The reverse design on all Presidential $1 Coins features a rendition of the Statue of Liberty, designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart. 

Launched in 2007, the Presidential $1 Coin Program features a series of designs honoring four Presidents annually, with a new coin issued approximately every three months.  Since the inception of the multi-year program, the United States Mint has minted more than 1.4 billion new $1 coins.