The Bridge

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MIKE CASSARO FOR U.S. SENATE

Prospect, KY.  Mike Cassaro, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, will make a major announcement this coming Monday, April 28, 2008 on “The CW Louisville Live This Morning.” This show airs on WBKI (cable 7 in Louisville) at 9:30 a.m. WBKI has one of the largest coverage areas of any station in Kentucky, with reception from the Tennessee border to North Central Kentucky.

--Cassaro for U.S. Senate Campaign; courtesy of Frank Leidermann, Acting Editor

Bruce Lunsford on Jobs & Economy

These are serious times. America’s standing in the world has been reduced, we are stuck in a poorly reasoned and ill conceived war that must end, the economy is on the brink of recession, and the costs of health care and college tuition continue to skyrocket, preventing too many working families from achieving the American dream. After 24 long years of Mitch McConnell in Washington, Kentucky’s economy is in serious trouble. Kentucky needs a U.S. Senator who will work to reduce health care costs, create more jobs, and get our economy back on track.

I bring a lifetime of hard work and practical business experience to the important task of helping develop and protect Kentucky jobs. Unlike Senator McConnell, I have not spent my life on the public payroll. I know what it takes to work hard, meet a payroll, and create jobs. If elected as your U.S. Senator, I will draw on that experience as I work to improve Kentucky’s economy.

Investing in a New American Economy

If America is going to compete in the global economic marketplace, we must be a leader in innovation. To do so, I believe we must make substantial investments in new research and development, focusing on the development of alternative energy technologies that will provide high-paying jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Developing a Workforce for 21st Century Jobs

To meet the challenge of the new global economy and it’s swiftly changing technologies, we must ensure that our young people are well educated. We need to invest in early science and math education, as well as tuition tax credits to help more students get a college education.

Strengthening the American Worker

I support employee free choice to facilitate fair organizing for workers. Kentucky’s working families have earned the right to a living wage and safe working conditions.

Standing up for American Companies and Workers

In addition, we must ensure that all trade agreements include significant worker protections. It shouldn’t be too much to ask to have trade agreements that open up new markets for American products and protect quality American jobs.

Tax Cuts for Working Families

I support letting the Bush tax cuts for the top income brackets expire and replacing them with targeted tax cuts to help the working and middle classes. I also support tax cuts that will encourage companies to create more jobs here in Kentucky. We must do everything we can to jumpstart our economy and develop jobs.

Protecting the Dream of Home Ownership

Economic times are tough. Our housing market is in crisis. We need to crack down on unfair lending practices and bring transparency to all mortgage transactions. I plan to help mortgage borrowers in tough situations by helping them find ways to restructure their loans and avoid foreclosure. We also have a responsibility to help American workers and small businesses survive during this difficult time. What’s good for Wall Street should be good for Main Street.

--Bruce Lunsford for U.S. Senator; courtesy of Frank Leidermann, Acting Editor

The Clinton Campaign: The Tide Is Turning

The voters in Pennsylvania have spoken. America is listening. And the tide is turning.

By providing fresh evidence that Hillary is the candidate best positioned to beat John McCain in the fall, the Pennsylvania primary is a turning point in the nominating contest.

Despite making an unprecedented financial investment in his Pennsylvania campaign, including millions on negative ads in the closing days of the race, Sen. Obama again failed to win a state that will be vital to a Democratic victory in November and spurred new questions about his ability to beat John McCain. No candidate has ever had more resources or enjoyed the kind of momentum that Sen. Obama had in Pennsylvania.

With concerns about the economy paramount, voters decided that Sen. Clinton was the candidate they trusted most to deal with job loss, the housing crisis and health care.

And with both candidates under the microscope at the same time for the first time, Hillary took more than a few punches and came out stronger while Sen. Obama emerged weaker as voters learned more about him. The exit polls clearly show that Sen. Clinton gained strength in the final days when the campaign was most engaged.

The reason for the Clinton comeback is clear: voters want a candidate who will stand strong for them and work to create a better future.

STRONG ON ECONOMY: Pennsylvania turned on which candidate made the better case for fixing the economy. Exit polls show voters viewed Hillary more favorably on the economy - her leadership resonated across the heartland of Pennsylvania. Those who want change in the economy voted overwhelmingly for Hillary.

A DECISIVE VICTORY: According to exit polls, Hillary won voters most concerned about the economy by 16 points (58-42) and union households by 18 points (59-41). She won those with incomes between 100K and 150K by 20 points (60-40); white women by 32 points (66-34) and Catholics by 38 points (69-31). She won those who decided on the last day (59-41), the last three days (58-42) and the last week (54-46).

SEN. OBAMA PLAYED TO WIN & LOST: Sen. Obama played to win Pennsylvania outright, outspending the Clinton camp by a 3 to 1 margin while sharply attacking Sen. Clinton on the stump and in television, radio, and direct mail pieces. He understood what was at stake for him in Pennsylvania, had six full weeks to make his case, went for a knockout at the end and came up short. Sen. Obama’s failure to do well raises questions about his ability to win the large, swing states that Democrats need to win in November.

HRC WILL WIN IN NOVEMBER: Democrats must win the large swing states to beat John McCain in the fall, but Sen. Obama has struggled in states like Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania. In addition, Hillary’s voters form the coalition needed for Democratic success in the fall battleground states: women, Hispanics, older voters, working class voters and Catholics. Sen. McCain is stronger than a typical Republican normally is among these groups while Sen. Obama has proven weaker among them. Hillary is also most likely to hold traditionally Democratic states and poised to expand the electoral map in the Southwest while also flipping a few traditionally GOP states like Arkansas.

OUR VICTORY HAS RE-ENERGIZED OUR CAMPAIGN & OUR GRASSROOTS: Sen. Obama may have outspent us 3 to 1 in Pennsylvania, but Hillary's strong supporters kept her in it. As news of Sen. Clinton’s victory spread, we received more donations at www.hillaryclinton.com and more new online contributors than after our wins in Ohio and Texas. In fact, this was our best night ever for online fundraising.

--The Clinton Campaign; courtesy of Frank Leidermann, Acting Editor

Real Clear Politics Election 2008

REAL CLEAR POLITICS ELECTION 2008
Democrats	Obama-Clinton	Spread
Total Delegates	1726 - 1592	Obama + 134
Pledged Delegates	1489 - 1333	Obama + 156
Popular Vote	49.2 - 47.5	Obama +1.7
Popular Vote (w/FL)	48.3 - 47.6	Obama +0.7
Nat'l RCP Average	50.0 - 40.4	Obama +9.6
North Carolina	51.3 - 35.8	Obama +15.5
Indiana	44.3 - 45.5	Clinton +1.2
General Election	McCain-Obama	McCain-Clinton
National	Obama +1.9	Clinton +0.4
Pennsylvania	Obama +2.2	Clinton +6.2
Ohio	McCain +2.6	Clinton +5.0
Florida	McCain +11.7	McCain +0.3
Wisconsin	Obama +2.3	McCain +5.0

--Real Clear Politics; courtesy of Frank Leidermann, Acting Editor

Clinton Keeps Presidential Campaign Alive with Pennsylvania Win

By Jim Malone, Voice of America News

Senator Hillary Clinton kept her presidential hopes alive Tuesday with a convincing victory over rival Barack Obama in Pennsylvania's Democratic primary. The Democratic presidential race now moves on to primaries in North Carolina and Indiana on May Sixth. VOA National Correspondent Jim Malone reports from Washington.

Clinton needed a victory to remain in the Democratic nomination race. And, she got it -- with strong support from women, senior citizens and white working-class voters in Pennsylvania.

Clinton scored a substantial victory over Obama, who drew support from African-Americans, college-educated and more affluent voters.

An Obama victory in Pennsylvania could have ended Clinton's White House hopes. The former First Lady expressed appreciation to her supporters at a rally in Philadelphia. "I might stumble and I might get knocked down, but as long as you will stand with me, I will always get right back up! Because, for me, in the end, the question is not whether we can keep America's promise, it is whether we will keep America's promise!," she said.

Obama lost despite outspending Clinton in Pennsylvania by a margin of more than two to one. Obama remains ahead in the overall Democratic delegate count and in total popular vote won in the caucuses and primaries, so far. But Clinton has won most of the large states including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, California and New York.

Obama addressed his supporters at a rally in Indiana and focused on his differences with the presumptive Republican nominee, Senator John McCain. "We already know what we are getting out of the other party's nominee. John McCain has offered this country a lifetime of service and we respect that. But what he is not offering is any meaningful change from the polices of George W. Bush," he said.

Nine Democratic contests remain before the end of the caucus and primary season on June Third. It now appears that neither candidate will have amassed the number of delegates needed to win the nomination outright at the end of the primary season. That means uncommitted so-called "super delegates" could play a decisive role in the nomination battle sometime before the Democrats hold their national convention in Denver in late August.

Super delegates are party office holders and activists who can choose to support either candidate.

But many Democrats worry that the lengthy and bitter nomination fight between Obama and Clinton could the split the party and make it vulnerable in the general election in November against the presumed Republican nominee, Senator John McCain.

Political analysts like Stuart Rothenberg expect the Democrats to try and coalesce around a nominee, shortly after the primary season ends in early June. "I think Democratic Party leaders believe it should end with the end of the primary calendar. They do not want this to drag on well into June or to July or, God forbid from their point of view, into August. They would like it to end pretty quickly," he said.

Both the Obama and Clinton campaigns are now focused on the May Sixth primaries in North Carolina and Indiana. Obama is favored in North Carolina, but Indiana is rated as a toss-up and will likely receive the bulk of the campaign attention over the next two weeks.

--Voice of America News; courtesy of Frank Leidermann, Acting Editor

MIKE CASSARO’S PRESCRIPTION FOR POSITIVE CHANGE IN WASHINGTON: REPEALING THE BAN ON GAYS IN THE MILITARY

(Prospect, KY).   What do Mike Cassaro, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Ron Paul, Barry Goldwater, Alan K. Simpson (former Senator from Wyoming), John M. Shalikashvili (former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), Israel, 20 members of the NATO alliance, and 140 members of Congress have in common?  They have supported the rights of openly gay (and lesbian) citizens to serve in the military.

What do the Republican Party’s leadership, hard-core conservatives, the U.S. military, Russia and China have in common.   They do not want openly gay citizens to serve their country.   

Data show that Mike Cassaro, Hillary, and Barack have it right; the Republican leadership has it wrong.  The military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has been an outright failure. 

Since the enactment of this policy, the U.S. military has discharged from its ranks over 11,000 gay and lesbian Americans, including several service personnel who were proficient in Arabic. This policy has also cost the taxpayers over $350 million in recruitment and training costs.

“What a tragic waste” declares Mike Cassaro.  He further states that: “upstanding Americans who want to serve their country cannot because of this dated policy. The military has lost the services of many talented people. And once again, taxpayers see their hardworking tax dollars being wasted on bad governmental policies.”

Poll results reveal that Mike, Hillary, and Barack are more attuned to American public opinion on gays in the military than are the hard-core conservatives.  A 2006 Pew Research survey indicated that Americans favor repealing the don’t ask, don’t tell policy by nearly a 2-1 margin.  A 2003 Gallup poll showed that 91% of respondents aged 18-29 and 85% of women were in favor of allowing openly gay Americans to serve in the military.

Mike Cassaro proclaims: “Americans are replacing hate and fear with acceptance.”  “We must continue on this moral path by strongly enforcing the recently passed ‘Matthew Shepherd anti-hate crime bill’ and eliminating discriminatory practices that still exist in the workplace.”   

--Cassaro For U.S. Senate Campaign; courtesy of Frank Leidermann, Acting Editor