Obama, Clinton host fundraisers

BUTTE, Montana (CNN) — Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will appear together at three fund-raisers next week in New York, an Obama spokeswoman said.
Two of the fund-raisers are Wednesday night. Thursday morning, they'll also appear together at a women's fund-raising breakfast for Obama. The events are private.
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ST. LOUIS, Missouri (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama, speaking on board his campaign plane as it headed to St. Louis on Saturday, continued to defend his position on Iraq — and questioned reporters' parsing of his words.
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Happy Birthday U.S.A., Happy Birthday Me

Well, you know how yesterday went since it was the Fourth of July. Smoke, yelling, heat, meat. At least I didn't burn anything this year.

I bought a box of Moo & Oink pork rib tips for $8 and some change at the local market--Save More on Broadway for those of you who know. Now usually, I go out to Ultra in Highland but because of high gas prices I was compelled to shop local. I got a great deal and the line wasn't that long.
Then comes the yelling: Lauren, my autistic 17-year-old daughter, put on top of her pajamas, a pair of shorts and another pair of pants, her shoes on the wrong foot and three t-shirts. My son who is still a finicky eater, wanted to go to granny's for fireworks to get out of eating some of all of that food I cooked. Also, he refused to shower. He's 10. My day was spent badgering and grilling.



Anyway.
I cooked pre-pattied hamburgers--they were on sale too--mac & cheese, green beans (fresh frozen courtesy of Aldi grocery store) and deviled eggs with fresh dill from my garden (yes it smelled like dill).
Needless to say he had some tips and all the fixin's too. Lauren ate dinner as well but refused to take off all of those extra clothes.

My mother wanted to know why I cooked all of that meat (I chopped up two slabs for them) and why I sent so much to her house. My parents may have one piece and will place the rest in the freezer to cook with great northern beans during the fall (mmm, delish!) so it is in my personal interest to send meat to their home.
Later, I tried to take photos of local fireworks displays. I used a portrait, night, shutter speed and f-stop settings but I forget which one worked because I had to experiment to see when to depress the shutter. On a large fireworks display, there are more of them lighting the night sky but the ordinary guy lighting fireworks for his family, is going one-at-a-time so I had to choose when to squeeze the shutter button.

Anyway.
Today is my birthday.
(I know yall thought I'd get up on my soap box about America and Independence and whatever but hey--it's the Fourth of July weekend and even I just gotta give it a break and enjoy the day. Happy Holidays!)

Nomination acceptance speech may be at Denver stadium

Call it location, location, location.

Barack Obama's campaign is thinking of having the Democratic presidential candidate give his presidential nomination acceptance speech at a football stadium rather than in the arena in Denver, Colorado, where the Democratic National Convention is being held
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Obama response to jobs loss report

As we head into the 4th of July weekend, today's report that our economy has lost another 62,000 jobs is a stark reminder that far too many Americans will spend this holiday out of work and struggling to provide for their families because of the failed policies of the last eight years.

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A Call to Service: Obama asks Americans to participate in society like never before

Seeks to form civilian national security force after winning election


Response to speech from residents

Town Finds Drug Agent Is Really an Impostor

A man who pretended to be a federal agent has stirred a legal and political controversy in a small Missouri town.

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Let's Get Organized!

McCain's war record challenged

"McCain is running for president of the United States, not the student council. He should stop feigning shock and outrage and start answering some very legitimate questions about his character and his experience." "McCain isn't being mocked, he's being questioned." Sound familiar swiftboat fans?

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Obama speaks on patriotism, remarks by surrogate

Speech encourages individualized acts, ideas of patriotism
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During an Independence Day-themed speech describing his take on patriotism, Presumptive nominee Barack Obama (D-IL), cleared up remarks made Sunday by surrogate and Obama military advisor, Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark. He questioned whether McCain's military experience qualified him to be commander-in-chief.

Indirectly but apparently addressing the issue, Sen. Obama said Monday, McCain needs no further proof of his patriotism due to his and other U.S. military member's service to the country--"period, full stop."
He was addressing a group in Independence, MO at the Truman Memorial Building.
Obama also wondered how this country would preserve values while still seeking liberties. He said challenging each other's patriotism is rooted in 40-year-old debates where questioning government ideology or attacking symbols of the country like the flag or war veterans led to charges of unpatriotic behavior.

He said even without the steady hand of a father to guide him or anchoring in any one community while growing up, he still demonstrated his ideology of patriotism.

Speaking from recent experiences, Obama said he has had his own patriotism called into question--an act he will not let stand.
"I'll never question the patriotism of others in this campaign and I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine," he told the audience.

He said attacking those ideas demonstrates the inability of some to truly understand America.
Quoting famous writer and Missouri native, Mark Twain, Obama said Americans should support their country all of the time and only government, when it deserves it.

In 1926, the Truman Memorial building was erected as a tribute to those who had lost their lives in World War I.