John McCain, the Republican Presidential nominee, has chosen Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his running mate. Here’s the email the campaign sent out:

I am honored to announce that I have chosen Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as my choice for the Republican nominee for Vice President. As a father with three daughters, I can’t express how proud I am to choose the first female Republican Vice-Presidential nominee.

Sarah Palin is a trailblazer and a reformer. As the first female governor of Alaska, she challenged a corrupt system and has been a tireless advocate for reform - passing a landmark bill on ethics reform. She has taken on the old politics in Alaska and reformed the state’s energy industry. She rejects wasteful pork barrel spending. She’s fearless - exactly the type of leader I want at my side and the type of leadership we will bring to Washington.

My friends, together Sarah Palin and I make the strongest presidential ticket and I know that she joins me in asking for your support as we head into our Convention week in Minnesota. We’re shaking things up in this campaign - and Governor Palin and I are ready to bring real reform to Washington.

The polls indicate this will be a tight race as we head into the fall campaign against Senators Obama and Biden. I expect the polls to remain close all the way up to Election Day and that is why any help you can give today will go a long way to make history on November 4th.

You can be assured that as President and Vice President, Governor Palin and I will always put country before all else. We are ready to lead and I ask that you join our campaign today. Your support is deeply appreciated.

Sincerely,

John McCain

Barack Obama accepts the Democratic party’s nomination to become President of the United States. Here’s the historic speech in it’s enirety:

Here’s a really nice profile of Barack Obama from the DNC 2008

U.S. District Judge John Bates has just ruled that top aides to President George W. Bush can’t illegally avoid congressional subpoenas. “Harriet Miers is not immune from compelled congressional process; she is legally required to testify pursuant to a duly issued congressional subpoena,” Bates wrote, according to the Associated Press. Both Harriet Meyers and Joshua Bolten must appear before congress, even if they plan not to testify.

The aides must testify the role the Bush Administration played in the firing of 9 U.S. attorneys last year.

Had this ruling passed, it would have greatly increased the power of the President. Nancy Pelosi called the ruling “very good news for anyone who believes in the Constitution of the United States and the separation of powers, and checks and balances.”

The Administration can still appeal the ruling.

More on this story as it develops…

AP Story, via ABC News >

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/berlinvideo/

Full transcript after the jump.
(more…)

McCain Team -

Today we’re launching a new feature called McCain Nation and we want you to be the first to know. McCain Nation is a powerful online tool, built exclusively for our supporters across the country to plan events to help spread John McCain’s message.

Through the McCain Nation online headquarters you can create events, upload and invite your contacts, send out invitations, get maps and directions, and much more. You can also search for events in your area and ask hosts to attend. Connecting with other McCain supporters on the ground is crucial to our grassroots strategy and will be key to our victory in November.

Please follow this link to join McCain Nation today and host an event for John McCain! Our first national event will be held on Thursday, August 14th at 7pm ET, and we’re asking you to start planning your event right away. McCain Nation events across the country will have the opportunity to interact with a prominent McCain campaign official as part of the first national event day. Event hosts will also receive a host package and have exclusive access to other resources.

If you’re unable to host an event, you can also visit McCain Nation to search for events in your area to attend. And if August 14th doesn’t work out with your schedule, you can plan an event at a date and time that works best for you and your guests through the online headquarters.

Please visit the McCain Nation website today. We look forward to a successful national event day on August 14th.

Thanks for your support!

Rick Davis
Campaign Manager

Bill Clinton will assist the Obama campaign to help ensure that a Democrat takes the White House in November. The Associated Press is reporting that Bill Clinton said through a spokesman, Matt McKenna, that “President Clinton is obviously committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president of the United States.” It is unclear what Clinton will specifically do for the Obama campaign, but some speculate that he might actively campaign for Obama. Throughout his wife’s candidacy, the former president was an outspoken critic of Obama, calling him inexperienced and incapable of leading the country. Obama has still not spoken directly with Bill Clinton.

AP News Story >

A few hours from now I will step on stage in Detroit, Michigan to announce my support for Senator Barack Obama. From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected President of the United States.

Over the next four years, we are going to face many difficult challenges — including bringing our troops home from Iraq, fixing our economy, and solving the climate crisis. Barack Obama is clearly the candidate best able to solve these problems and bring change to America.

This moment and this election are too important to let pass without taking action.

Over the past 18 months, Barack Obama has united a movement. He knows change does not come from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or Capitol Hill. It begins when people stand up and take action.

With the help of millions of supporters like you, Barack Obama will bring the change we so desperately need in order to solve our country’s most pressing problems.

On the issues that matter most, Barack Obama is clearly the right choice to lead our nation.

We have a lot of work to do in the next few months to elect Barack Obama president, and it begins by making a contribution to this campaign today.

Thank you for joining me,

Al Gore

LIVE TONIGHT — 8:30 p.m. EDT

The Democratic Party announced today that they are making a huge change in their policy. The party is banning all contributions from lobbyists or special interest groups, in order to ensure fairness to the people within the party and the government. “The Democratic Party has to be the Party of ordinary Americans, not Washington lobbyists and special interests,” says an email from Howard Dean of the Democratic party. Indeed, this is a huge step forward in United States government, helping ensure that it by the people, for the people — not just for powerful groups who oftentimes go against the people.

Here’s an email that the Democratic Party sent out:

Dear Friend,

I wanted to drop you a quick note about a major policy change here at the Democratic Party.

As we move toward the general election, the Democratic Party has to be the Party of ordinary Americans, not Washington lobbyists and special interests. So, as of this morning, if you’re a federal lobbyist, or if you control political action committee donations, we won’t be accepting your contribution.

This is an unprecedented move for a political party to make — one that has sent shockwaves through Washington and has turned the debate on clean campaigns upside down. We’ve unilaterally agreed to shut lobbyists out of the process, and are we’re relying on people just like you.

Just imagine what hundreds of thousands of Americans donating $20, $30, or $50 at a time can accomplish together. Imagine the signal that it sends to anyone who looks at John McCain’s political machine and the special interest money it needs to fuel every move it makes.

We have a chance to change the way business is done in this country, and we’re taking the lead. Will you join us and make a contribution right now to help us elect Barack Obama?

http://www.democrats.org/nonlobbyists

I’ve written before about guys like Charlie Black and Rick Davis, lobbyists who are at the highest levels of McCain’s campaign. But they’re just the start — John McCain and the RNC suck up lobbyist money millions of dollars at a time.

In May, McCain had his best fundraising month of the campaign, and it was directly because he refuses to shut special interests out.

But we did, and we need your help. This is an example of the kind of White House Barack Obama would run. Make a contribution to help elect him:

http://www.democrats.org/nonlobbyists

I’ll be in touch later about our plans for the general election, but I wanted to let you know about our policy change right away.

Thanks,

Howard Dean

Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
The total number of delegates needed to secure the nomination is 2,118. Right now, Barack has the support of at least 2,179 delegates, which gives him a lock on the nomination.

Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee, but we’ve got huge challenges ahead as we build our organization for the general election.

John McCain has been running his general election campaign for months, and we have some catching up to do.

But one of the benefits of this historic primary season is that we had a chance to build our grassroots organization in all 50 states.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to mobilize volunteers everywhere and compete in places that Democrats have overlooked in the past.

Last night, Barack laid out the vision for where this campaign is headed.

Thank you,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America