Obama Watch Party at Prince Bistro Plano

Approximately three hundred people RSVP'ed to attend the Barack Obama acceptance speech party at the Prince Bistro Thursday evening, Aug 28th. To see the pictures click here.

Dan Dodd, Chair of the Democratic Party of Collin County, commented that he estimates approximately six hundred people in all attended or dropped by the event during the evening to pick up free candidate yard signs and bumper stickers. The signs and stickers were made available by the Democratic Party of Collin County and the Texas Democratic Women of Collin County organization.

The official capacity of the Prince Bistro is three hundred and the restaurant was packed to capacity from 7 P.M. until well after Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama finished speaking.

The restaurant was noisy during the first part of the evening as attendees got know their Democratic neighbors and freely talked politics. Health care and the economy were the most popular topics of discussion, but energy, the environment, education, college tuition, national security, foreign policy, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were all topics of discussion during the evening.

Several of the Democratic candidates, whose names will appear on Collin County election ballots on November 4th, attended the event to meet the voters. In the picture to the left, from left to right are Victor Manuel, Collin County Commissioner Precinct 3 candidate - Tom Daley, U.S. Congress candidate for the 3rd Congressional District - and Glenn Melançon U.S. Congress candidate for the 4th Congressional District.

In the picture to the right Jean Power, Collin County Commissioner Precinct 4 candidate joins Victor, Tom and Glenn.

Attention increasingly turned to the convention speakers through the evening. Attention noticeable turned to the big screens as the citizens, one by one, took the podium at the Invesco Field stadium to to tell their personal stories and express their support for Barack Obama, Joe Biden and all their local Democratic candidates running for office this November.

When Al Gore began to speak at the convention, the political chatter in the restaurant began to noticeably drop off. The crowd became attentive to Gore as he talked about the environmental challenges facing America and the world. Just as Gore was applauded and cheer at the Invesco Field Stadium in Denver, so was he applauded and cheered by the people watching the big screens at the Prince Bistro.

Barack Obama received loud cheers and applause in the restaurant as he took the podium to give his nomination acceptance speech. All during his speech all attention was focused on the big screens as Senator Obama spoke. Frequent loud applause erupted as Obama gave sharp criticism of Senator McCain, and the George Bush policies that McCain has repeated stated he will continue, and as he went on to lay out his road map for an era of progressive change in America.

The loudest cheers and applause came when Obama said, "The change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington, Change happens because the American people demand it -- because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time."

38 million viewers watched the Thursday evening convention broadcast of Senator Barack Obama accepting the Democratic presidential nomination, according to Nielsen Media Research. The four-night 2008 Democratic convention ranks as the most-watched party convention of either party, Democratic or Republican, since Nielsen began measuring conventions in 1960. Nielsen did not estimate how many people watched Obama on PBS, C-SPAN and direct Democratic Internet video stream out of the convention on Thursday night, so Obama's audience might well be much higher than the 38 million that Nielsen Media Research estimates.

U.S. News: Following Obama's speech analysts and media commentators generally praise Obama's speech.

USA Today describes the speech as "filled with promises of generational change and a better America," and the New York Times refers to Obama's "cutting language" and to the "cheers that echoed across the stadium." McClatchy notes "an estimated 84,000 people jammed the football stadium," and adds Obama "tied McCain squarely to President Bush." The Washington Times refers to Obama's "soaring oratory," with "the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop." In another front page story, the Washington Post says that the speech yesterday "proved the greatest testament yet to the intensity of Barack Obama's support and the enthusiasm for his candidacy that his party hopes will carry him to the White House." David Gergen said on CNN that the speech "opened up an important and legitimate debate the Republicans will carry on about issues," but "as a speech, I was deeply impressed. In many ways it was less a speech than a symphony." Carl Bernstein, on CNN, called it a "transformational speech, maybe the greatest I've ever heard at a convention since Kennedy." Keith Olbermann, on MSNBC immediately after the speech ended said, "Vote for him or do not, but take pride that this nation can produce men and speakers such as that."

Watch the slide show of all my pictures taken throughout the evening at the Prince Bistro. (See the right sidebar of this blog page) Click on the picture to go to the album where the pictures have descriptive captions.

Barack Obama Convention Speech Video

Obama's 2008 Convention Speech As Prepared For Delivery

Kucinich: Wake Up America!

Speaking at the Democratic Convention in Denver, Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Rep. from Ohio, called on Americans to "Wake Up" in an audience rousing speech!

Kucinich declared from the podium of the Convention, "In 2001 the oil companies, the war contractors and the neocon-artists seized the economy and added $4 trillion of unproductive spending to the national debt. ... Trillions of dollars for an unnecessary war paid for with borrowed money."

"We cannot afford another Republican administration," Kucinich said. "Wake up, America; the insurance companies took over health care. Wake up, America; the pharmaceutical companies took over drug pricing. Wake up, America; the speculators took over Wall Street. ... Wake up, America; we went into Iraq for oil."

"This administration can tap our phones -- but they can't tamper our creative spirit," he said. "They can open our mail, but the can' t open economic opportunities. They can track our every move, but they lost track of the economy while the cost of food, gasoline, and electricity skyrockets. Now, they have skillfully played our post 9/11 fears, and they've allowed the few to profit at the expense of the many."

Watch his short, but rousing speech

Ohio Prepares for 80% Voter Turnout in November

From RawStory.com

DENVER -- As many as 80 percent of Ohio's registered voters could turn out on Election Day, says the state's top election official.

"Looking at the interest in this election, we think it's highly probable," Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said during a panel discussion on election reforms.

Brunner addressed controversy in the state over use of electronic voting machines in the past.

While she was unwilling to force counties to completely abandon DRE machines, she said all voters would have the option to vote on a paper ballot and officials were implementing more stringent security procedures in the 53 counties that still used electronic machines.

Read the Rest of the Story

No Citizens Attend Plano City Council's Public Tax Hearing

Plano Star Courier Newspaper
August 22, 2008

A public no show at tax hearing

All the members of the Plano City Council were present Thursday night to hear comments regarding the city’s tax rate with the exception of Place 3 Council Member Mabrie Jackson

No Plano residents were in attendance to the public hearing.

Thursday’s public hearing was the first of two on a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 5.20 percent.

The Plano City Council voted a week ago to establish not to go higher than the current tax rate of 47.35 cents. Even though the city-wide tax rate may stay the same, Plano residents could potentially see a change in tax charges.

“Since property values are changing, that could positively or negatively affect an individual resident’s total tax bills,” said Karen Rhodes, director of Plano’s Budget and Research Department.

The public hearings were scheduled in compliance with the Open Meetings Act as designated by Vernon’s Texas Codes Annotated, stating that city governments are to hold public hearings when considering changing the tax rate.

The second public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. on Aug 25, at the council chambers in the Plano Municipal Center. Immediately following the public hearing, the City Council will hold the regularly scheduled preliminary open meeting and regular meeting.

Plano Star Courier article link

As Democrats Gather, Liberal Positions Gaining In Popularity

By Steven Thomma | McClatchy Newspapers

DENVER — As they meet for their national convention Monday through Thursday, Democrats are poised to shift their party's course — and the country's.

They're turning to the left — deeply against the war in Iraq, ready to use tax policy to take from the rich and give to the poor and middle class, and growing hungry, after years of centrist politics, for big-government solutions, such as a health-care overhaul, to steer the nation through a time of sweeping economic change.

They are, in short, more liberal than at any time in a generation and eager to end the Reagan era, which dominated not just the other party, but also their own, for nearly three decades.

"Every generation . . . there are changes in people's relationship with government," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. This, he said, is such a time.

The shift of the party also reflects a change in much of the population — evidenced in the policy positions advocated by rank-and-file voters as well as the party's presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

What changed? Several things:

• The Iraq war lasted longer, cost more lives and money, and proved deeply unpopular. A few years ago, Obama was a rare voice in the party opposing the war; today he's one of a chorus.
• Anxiety about a slowing economy resurrected fears about American jobs and paychecks in the global economy.
  
• Promises to change trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement punctuated the [2008] Democratic primaries.
  
• Obama promises a dramatically different tax policy, one that would raise taxes on the wealthy, cut taxes for the middle class and offer new "refundable" tax credits to the working poor that would wipe out tax liabilities and deliver anything left over in the form of checks.
• Obama also wants to tax oil companies and use the money to give checks to the poor to pay for high fuel costs, or anything else.
• Many Americans recoiled at the weak federal government response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
• Republican George W. Bush turned into one of the most unpopular presidents in modern history.

Read the rest of the article here

It's Biden As Obama's VP Pick

Barack Obama selected Senator Joe Biden of Delaware late Friday to be his vice presidential running mate.

Since being elected to the Senate at the age of 29 in 1973 Biden has served in the Senate he has been at various times not only as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee but also the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. It is the Senate Judiciary Committee that has jurisdiction over anti-crime legislation, Supreme Court nominees and Constitutional issues. Biden, 65, who has himself twice run for the office of President of the United States, is a Catholic with blue-collar roots, has a progressive voting record and has a reputation as a hard hitting debater and orator.

Recent Biden Interview on ABC News

Anyone Who Owns 7 Home Will Think The Economy Is Great!

"Yesterday, Senator John McCain was asked again what do you think about the economy, he said I think the economy is fundamentally strong," said Senator Barack Obama. "Now this puzzled me. I was confused what he meant. But then there was another interview where somebody asked John McCain how many houses do you have and he said 'I'm not sure. I'll have to check with my staff.' True quote. 'I'm not sure ill have to check with my staff.' So they asked his staff and they said, 'at least four.' At least four. Now think about that. I guess if you think that being rich means you make $5 million and if you don't know how many houses you have then it is not surprising that you think the economy is fundamentally strong. But if you are like me and you've got one house, or if you are like the millions of people struggling now to keep up with your mortgage payments, you might have a different perspective. By the way the answer is John McCain has seven homes."

Obama Campaign Ad

Zogby Poll: McCain Takes 5 Point Lead Over Obama

Zogby International
August 20, 2008

McCain’s month long surge of aggressively negative campaign advertising against Obama has translated into a surge of polling advantage over Obama in the latest Zogby/Reuters telephone survey. In this poll McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, reversing Obama's 7-point lead in July and for first time taking the lead over Obama in the monthly Zogby/Reuters poll. McCain further has a 9-point edge, 49 percent to 40 percent, over Obama on the issue of who would be the best manager of the U.S. economy, an issue nearly half of voters sat is their top concern in this election year.

This latest live operator telephone survey was conducted Aug. 14-16, 2008 from Zogby’s call center in Upstate New York. It included 1,089 likely voters nationwide, and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points.

The poll shows Obama losing voters to McCain in groups where Obama had bigger leads a month ago. This table shows Obama’s loss of support between the July and August Reuters/Zogby polls among some significant sub-groups (the margin of error is greater for sub-groups than the sample as a whole)

Obama Support	July	August	Difference
Democrats	83%	74%	-9
Women	50%	42%	-8
Catholics	47%	36%	-11
Ages <35>	59%	47%	-12
College Grads	51%	40%	-11
Live in Cities	54%	43%	-11
Income <$50,000	53%	46%	-7
Southerners	46%	35%	-11

Obama's support among voters between the ages of 18 and 29, which had been one of his strengths, slipped 12 percentage points to 52 percent.

Read the full Zogby/Reuters poll article at Zogby International

Wanted: New Voters

The Nation
August 13, 2008

Wanted: New Voters - The Atlanta Car and Bike Show lasts for one day only, and on a recent hot summer afternoon, the line to get in snaked for hundreds of yards through the carpeted interior of the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. . . Before attendees got to the cars and music, volunteers from the Obama campaign were doing their best to make sure they spent a moment on civics. Serena Bland and her husband, Adrian, paced up and down the entrance to the hall with Register to Vote signs, urging people toward the voter-registration booth a dozen feet away. There, Anderia Bishop chatted and joked and generally poured every ounce of her considerable enthusiasm into persuading even the skeptical or indifferent that registering would be the best five minutes they ever spent. "We're chasing people through the park," Bishop said of her local volunteer group's activities. Read the rest of the article

Before you go read the rest of the article here is something to think about:

• With 10 more votes/precinct in 2004, John Kerry would have won the states of NM, IA, & OH
• With 50 more votes/precinct in 2004, John Kerry would have also won the states of NV, CO, MO, AR, WV, FL
• With 100 more votes/precinct in 2004, John Kerry would have additionally won the states of AR, KS, SD, LA, IN, KY, SC

Registering new voters and helping to get out the vote this election can truly make the difference for Democratic candidates, even here in Collin County, Texas.

Many Democratic groups and organizations are already ramping up voter registration drives and Get Out The Vote activities today. All of these campaign groups and political organizations need volunteers. We need to form a large army of Democratic volunteers in Collin County this year to help Get Out The Vote! Call one of these groups today to volunteer:

• Collin County for Obama campaign supporters,
• Tom Daley for U.S. House of Representatives - TX 3rd District campaign supporters,
• Glenn Melançon for U.S. House of Representatives - TX 4th District campaign supporters,
• Rick Noriega for U.S. Senate campaign supporters,
• The Democratic Party of Collin County,
• The Texas Democratic Women of Collin County,
• and more (look in the left hand sidebar of this blog page to find all of the Democratic candidates that will appear on Collin County ballots this fall.)

Dallas for Obama in Denver

From the Dallas for Obama group who will be blogging from the Convention in Denver

Join Your Democratic Neighbors And Get A Yard Sign

The Democratic Party of Collin County in cooperation with the Texas Democratic Women of Collin County will make available yard signs for Senator Barack Obama and many other candidates, whose name will appear on Collin County ballots this fall, at a gala Democratic Convention Watch Party being planned for Thursday, August 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Prince Bistro Eatery in Plano to watch Senator Barack Obama give his Acceptance Speech as the Democratic Presidential Nominee!

The event will be at Prince Bistro Eatery, 1201 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano - Map (across from Sam’s Club east of Hwy 75)

Place your food and drink orders and pay as you go. Then, chat with your neighbors until Obama speaks.

YARD SIGNS and BUMPER STICKERS
for Obama and many other candidates
will be available!

Full list of Candidates on Collin Co. Ballots

RSVP for the Watch Party to: office@collindems.us or 972-578-1483

Or RSVP for the Watch Party at: my.barackobama.com event code 4ggrg

Have you registered to vote yet? The October 6th deadline to register to vote in the fall election is fast approaching! Check whether you are already registered to vote here and if you are not yet registered to vote, get your Voter's Registration application here.

General Election First day to apply for ballot by mail Last day to register to vote (for this election) First day of early voting Last day to apply for ballot by mail Last day of early voting	November 4, 2008 September 5, 2008 October 6, 2008 October 20, 2008 October 28, 2008* October 31, 2008
* - Ballot by mail application must be received in the Elections Office by this date.

If you want to volunteer to help get out the vote, go volunteer at www.collindems.us or www.tdwcc.org.

Senator Barack Obama's Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech Convention Watch Party has been arranged through the efforts of the Democratic Party of Collin County, Texas Democratic Women of Collin County and other Obama for President supporters.

Why Are You A Democrat in 2008? Episode 4

Video Submission to Howard Dean's Democratic National Convention "Why Am I A Democratic" Video contest:

Why Are You A Democrat in 2008? Episode 3

Video Submission to Howard Dean's Democratic National Convention "Why Am I A Democratic" Video Contest:

Obama Meets With Longtime Republican T. Boone Pickens

Senator Barack Obama met Sunday with Texas oil baron and longtime Republican T. Boone Pickens to discuss strategies for developing alternative energy. Obama said, "One of the things I think we have to unify the country around is having an intelligent energy policy."

Pickens has become critic of U.S. dependence on imported oil and is now promoting wind farms and other alternative energy programs. Pickens has vowed to spend $58 million to promote the "Pickens Plan," which calls for the U.S. to generate 22 percent of its electricity through wind and other alternative energy sources.

T. Boone Pickens may be an old Republican, he is sounding awfully like a younger generation Democrat these days. Watch T. Boone's TV ad:


There are a myriad of 21st century alternative energy technologies that stand poised to revolutionize how Americans, and the rest of the world, generate and use energy. Technology savvy Democratic candidates such as Tom Daley, Democratic candidate for the U.S. 3rd Texas Congressional District, age 44, and Glenn Melançon Democratic candidate for the U.S. 4th Texas Congressional District, age 42, do understand the dramatic revolution to American industry, white and blue collar job availability and personal life style that 21st century clean alternative energy technologies can bring to a 21st century America.

Both Daley and Melançon, candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, whose districts meet in Collin County, stand with state-wide candidates U.S. Senate Democratic Candidate for Texas, Rick Noriega, and the Democratic Presidential candidate, Barack Obama, for the deployment of clean alternative energy technologies for a better America and a better Texas.

Should the technology awarenens of today's Presidential, Senatorial and Congressional candidates have any bearing at all on the candidate's credentials as voters decide which candidate they should elect on November 4, 2008? Here are a few considerations given in an article that discusses John McCain's lack knowledge on the 21st century technology issues. Excerpts from a New York Times article titled, "McCain, the Analog Candidate."

"“We’re not asking for a president to answer his own e-mail,” said Paul Saffo, a Silicon Valley futurist who teaches at Stanford. “We’re asking for a president who understands the context of what e-mail [and blog] means.” The [candidate's] “user experience,” Mr. Saffo said, brings with it an implicit understanding of how the country lives, and where it might be heading. As Mr. McCain would lack this, he would also be deficient in this broader appreciation for how technology affects lives [and the American economy.] Computers have become something of a cultural marker — in politics and in the real world. Proficiency with them suggests a basic familiarity with the day-to-day experience of most Americans [and American businesses] — just as ignorance to them can suggest someone is “out of touch,” or “old.” “There’s a certain tempo to the thinking of someone who [understands and] uses all kinds of new [technology] media,” said Mr. Saffo, who said he would anoint Mr. Obama, if elected, “the first cybergenic president,” just as John F. Kennedy was considered the first telegenic president."

Republican incumbent for the U.S. 3rd Texas Congressional District, Sam Johnson, age 78, Republican incumbent for the U.S. 4th Texas Congressional District, Ralph Hall, age 85, Republican incumbent Senator John Cornyn and Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain, age 72, all downplay the impact that 21st century alternative energy technologies can bring to American and Texas.

Do the Republicans advocate drilling more oil well holes as their exclusive U.S. energy policy because drilling holes in the ground is the most advanced technology they understand? Or, is it something else? Multiple oil company executives did give huge contributions to Senator McCain's campaign just days after his offshore drilling change of heart. (Until very recently Senator McCain was against offshore drilling.)

Wal-Mart Warns Store Mgrs of Democratic Win

The Wall Street Journal reported on August 1st 2008 that Wal-Mart is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn them about a possible sweep of Democrats into office this November. Wal-Mart management is concerned that if Democrats win even more seats in the U.S. of Representatives and gain more seats in the U.S. Senate, perhaps up to the 60 Senator threshold required to nullify threats of Republican filibusters, the party will pass the "Employee Free Choice Act," which would make it easier for workers to unionize by signing a card rather than holding a vote. Read more the Wall Street Journal.

Several labor organizations today petitioned the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by letter to investigate Wal-Mart's alleged illegal political activism following reports the company has a program to urge employees to vote against Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The labor organizations petitioning the FEC by letter includes American Rights At Work, the AFL-CIO, Change to Win and WakeUpWalmart.com. A petition signed by 60,000 people was also concurrently delivered to the FEC.

The letter and petition charge that Wal-Mart made "FEC prohibited corporate expenditures by expressly advocating against Senator Obama's election" to hourly employees.

73rd Anniversary of the Social Security Act

On the 73rd anniversary of President Roosevelt's signing of the Social Security act, the grandson of the president in cooperation with DNC released a video to remind Americans about the importance of that watershed act.

"It's hard to remember now, but before Social Security, nearly half of America's seniors lived in poverty," James Roosevelt Jr., whose grandfather was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, says in a video released by the Democratic National Committee. "After a lifetime of playing by the rules and working hard, there was no guarantee of a secure retirement. My grandfather, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a majority of Americans thought that was wrong. They believed that lifting our seniors out of poverty is a reflection of our nation's core values."

James Roosevelt Jr.

Gitmo On The Platte Set As Holding Cell For DNC

The Colorado Independent - Barbed wire, stun-gun use mark DNC warehouse jail:

Denver officials weren't planning to reveal details about where activists would be detained in the event of mass arrests during the Democratic National Convention until after the event had started, but those plans were quickly dashed this week when CBS 4News reporter Rick Sallinger not only revealed that protesters would be locked up in a city-owned warehouse, but he also obtained clear video footage inside the facility, a building that includes barbed wire-topped cages and signs warning of stun-gun use. Read the full article

CBS4 DENVER ― Gitmo On The Platte Set As Holding Cell For DNC:

CBS4 News has learned if mass arrests happen at the Democratic Convention, those taken into custody will be jailed in a warehouse owned by the City of Denver. Investigator Rick Sallinger discovered the location and managed to get inside for a look.

The newly created lockup is on the northeast side of Denver. Protesters have already given this place a name: "Gitmo on the Platte." Inside are dozens are metal cages. They are made out of chain link fence material and topped by rolls of barbed wire.

"This is a secured environment," Capt. Frank Gale of the Denver Sheriff's Department told CBS4. "We're concerned about how that's going to be utilized by people who will be potentially disruptive." In past conventions, mass arrests have taken place. With Denver's jails already overflowing, new space had to be created and officers trained.

Each of the fenced areas is about 5 yards by 5 yards and there is a lock on the door. A sign on the wall reads "Warning! Electric stun devices used in this facility."

On Wednesday afternoon Mayor John Hickenlooper's office sent a news release to CBS4 and other media explaining the purpose of the holding facility. It says there will be a community outreach program this week to explain the facility's function. Read the full article

Senator Clinton’s Name Will Be Put in Nomination

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s name will be placed into nomination for the traditional state-by-state delegate roll call at the Democratic National Convention. The decision to put Senator Clinton's name up for the roll call tally was announced on Thursday afternoon in a joint statement from the senators.

“I am convinced that honoring Senator Clinton’s historic campaign in this way will help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong united fashion,” Senator Barack Obama said in a statement.

“With every voice heard and the Party strongly united, we will elect Senator Obama President of the United States and put our nation on the path to peace and prosperity once again,” Mrs. Clinton said in a statement.

U.S. Troops Deployed Abroad Give 6:1 to Obama

Senator John McCain constantly claims that he speaks for the interests of U.S. troops and is the only candidate that represents the beliefs held by all U.S. military personnel.

The facts actually show that U.S. military personnel are increasingly rejecting McCain as their spokesman, in direct opposition the claims made by McCain and his presidential campaign spokespersons. U.S. military personnel are increasingly supporting Senator Obama and his positions on U.S. security and military issues through their campaign contributions. Obama has received nearly six times as much money from soldiers deployed overseas according a new report by Open Secrets:

Despite McCain's status as a decorated veteran and a historically Republican bent among the military, members of the armed services overall -- whether stationed overseas or at home -- are also favoring Obama with their campaign contributions in 2008, by a $55,000 margin. Although 59 percent of federal contributions by military personnel has gone to Republicans this cycle, of money from the military to the presumed presidential nominees, 57 percent has gone to Obama. "That's shocking. The academic debate is between some who say that junior enlisted ranks lean slightly Republican and some who say it's about equal, but no one would point to six-to-one" in Democrats' favor, said Aaron Belkin, a professor of political science at the University of California who studies the military. "That represents a tremendous shift from 2000, when the military vote almost certainly was decisive in Florida and elsewhere, and leaned heavily towards the Republicans." In 2000, Republican George W. Bush outraised Democrat Al Gore among military personnel almost 2 to 1. In 2004, with the Iraq war underway, John Kerry closed the gap with President Bush, but Bush still raised $1.50 from the military for every $1 his Democratic opponent collected.

Contributions from U.S. Troops Deployed Abroad Recipient Total Number Obama, Barack $60,642 134 McCain, John $10,665 26

Contributions from All Military Personnel Recipient Total Number Obama, Barack $335,536 859 McCain, John $280,513 558 Based on contributions made through June 31, 2008