BILLY GRAHAM! lol Really, should ANYONE in this business take themselves so damn seriously? Will we all have candles to hold or better yet, march in and create some symbol of the "movement" in the middle of the field? lol

RE: Real people at stadium-

If you go to my.barackobama.com even you & yours have a chance to attend the event. A contribution of only $5. by the end of July will put you in the running to be one of 10(+10) to be flown from your secure location, housed for 2 nights, and attend Barack's acceptance speech as an honored guest.

I was on the Mall 40 yrs ago, (WAY back) and I know I will be hoping against the odds to witness history again.

Keep watching the site, to find out how you can get a free ticket the more conventional way.

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As for the Republican response: (from the NYT: "For its part, the Republican National Convention Committee released a statement dismissing the venue change as favoring style over substance. 'Senator Obama and his fellow Democrats are more focused on stagecraft and theatrics than providing real solutions to the challenges facing our nation,' the statement said.")

This from the gang that set up the THEATRICS of aircraft landings off CA, a NYC convention to celebrate 9/11 & terrorism/fear, and flyovers of Katrina. They've had 8 years to provide solutions to problems, instead we'll get more of the McSAME ole balloon drops & purple bandages, and restricted audiences.

The point of the post is the Republicans are out of gas, but not hot air, and are realizing they blew it. Some of us now fear 4 more yrs of Republican rule, more than bin Laden.

PS - Be sure not to let any Harry Taylor's into your convention hall or 61 yo librarians with a home-made sign. The truth is SOOO messy.

76,000 people in a beautiful open air stadium. I hope it's not for naught.

We are currently in troubled waters. Please read on.

The Presidential race is underway, with voting set for November 11th. We have to get it right this time. I don't have to remind all fellow Americans – our economy is in shambles and getting worse, over 4000 of our fellow Americans are dead and over 30,000 are maimed and permanently injured for life all from a war that was a lie, and a deliberate lie, our education system is seriously weak, millions have no health insurance, people are losing jobs, our standing in the world is an embarrassment, and I think the action and inaction of this President and his senior staff in Washington on everything is absolutely criminal.

There are two meaningful front runners for the Presidency. Each are major flip-floppers, each pander to the money interests, and the race is so close, either could win. That is scary.

HOWEVER, IF HILLARY CLINTON COULD BE ADDED TO THE OBAMA TEAM, I think we have a chance to get it right; or rather the country has a chance to get it right.

From www.realclearpolitics.com for July 5th, they are showing for a November General Election for "Gallup Tracking" nationwide only a plus 6% margin for Obama over McCain, and the Republican attack machine hasn't even started yet. When they do, look out!

Continuing, please read an article written by Harry Siegel posted on Politico.com dated June 19th titled: "Obama Could Win Vote, and Lose Election".

Then let me add Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post, with his brilliant article dated June 27th titled: "The Ever-Malleable Mr. Obama", and then another brilliant article by Mr. Krauthammer dated July 4th, titled: "A Man of Seasonal Principles".

Then go to: "The Two Obamas" by David Brooks in the New York Times for June 20th, 2008.

The list contines with: Patrick Healy, July 4th in the New York Times, "Target: Barack Obama. Strategy: What Day Is It?"

See also in the Washington Post, Ruth Marcos, July 2nd, "When a Flip Isn't a Flop", and again in the Post, Howard Kurtz, July 3rd, "All About Obama".

The articles are pouring out like water through a broken levee.

We have exposed now what many of us knew for a long time, Mr. Obama is an absolute "flip-flopper", and he thinks we don't see it. And this is a person who when he was a State Legislator in Illinois, voted “Present” 130 times only to avoid taking a position. And now he wants to be our President.

That being said, let's move ahead now with Mr. Obama out front as the Presidential nominee and "orator-in-chief ". No problem.

However, I believe if Hillary Clinton were invited to be on the ticket as the Vice Presidential candidate, and offered to head up some new important task force in a new administration, I am sure our chances of electing a Democratic Party President in November would be greatly improved, and I believe there are 18 MILLION other voters who also agree. These are the 18 million voters out here who just recently stood with Hillary Clinton in this primary contest we just concluded.

If we can do the above, I believe we can start saving this country from further disaster.

That Stadium is going to be packed, and that there will be another several thousand people in the parking lot watching from TV monitors so they can say they were there on the night.

I have no problems with the anniversary--two great speeches delivered forty years apart. MLK stood for courage and equal rights and demanding people be dudged on their own merits. The first black presidential nominee accepting the nomination to the presidency forty years later is a great tribute to him.

I had a HELL of a lot more problem with the Republicans milking the 9/11 anniversary at their convention four years ago. McCain's scrambling, he wants to perpetuate an unpopular war. His party's only supporting him through gritted teeth as the best of a bad lot.

I DON'T want Obama to be a centrist, I want him to keep to the left of center and be a Democrat with the courage of his convictions. But I'll take him over McCain ANY day of the week. And I think he's going to blow McCain out of the water.