Sam Donaldson on Calling the Race

It's a new day on the campaign trail, one filled with talk of the general election. John and Barack prepare for a possible series of townhall style debates, while the Democratic Party tries to ease Hillary towards the exit. ALSO: What's Sam Donaldson like at a cocktail party?

It's a new day on the campaign trail, one filled with talk of the general election. John and Barack prepare for a possible series of townhall style debates, while the Democratic Party tries to ease Hillary towards the exit. ALSO: What's Sam Donaldson like at a cocktail party?

WASHINGTON -- A slowdown on the Capital Beltway is nothing unusual, but what is rare is when someone is deliberately causing the gridlock. A California-based group, opposed to a federal pilot program making it easier for a number of Mexican truck companies to make cross-country trips in the U.S., is threatening to make travel on the Capital Beltway a nightmare. Save America Fund is planning a three-day protest, urging truckers to form side-by-side convoys and circle the Capital Beltway right at the speed limit. The protest is set to run from Monday through Wednesday from early in the morning until 5 p.m. Maryland State Police are increasing patrols along the Beltway and are "prepared for anything, if something does materialize." Similar protests will be held nationwide. (Copyright 2007 by Metro Networks Communications Inc., A Westwood One Co.) WASHINGTON -- A slowdown on the Capital Beltway is nothing unusual, but what is rare is when someone is deliberately causing the gridlock. A California-based group, opposed to a federal pilot program making it easier for a number of Mexican truck companies to make cross-country trips in the U.S., is threatening to make travel on the Capital Beltway a nightmare. Save America Fund is planning a three-day protest, urging truckers to form side-by-side convoys and circle the Capital Beltway right at the speed limit. The protest is set to run from Monday through Wednesday from early in the morning until 5 p.m. Maryland State Police are increasing patrols along the Beltway and are "prepared for anything, if something does materialize." Similar protests will be held nationwide. http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=1122486 CCW On-Target! Originally Inspired by Northpoint Tactical Teams (NPT) "He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation." -July 4, 1776- They have forgotten we are the ones that pick up their garbage and bring them food. Let Them Eat Garbage. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.saveamericafund.com/urgent.html Please join us in the TRUCKER'S "TRUCK OUT" BOYCOTT S T O P the Bush-Kennedy Plan to Give Trucker-Jobs to Mexican Drivers and Trucking Companies All 48 CONUS state legislature capital-buildings circled & shut down "Circle-the-Wagons Blockade Against Anarchy" National Capital U-Circled; Bumper-to-Bumper, Three-TrucksWide Monday Tuesday - Wednesday STARTING AT NOON ON APRIL 23, 24, 25 2007 at the FAIRUS Put Their Feet To The Fire Press Conference Rally NATIONAL TRUCKERS TRUCK OUT BOYCOTT: To protest President Bush and our elected officials plans, both state and federal, to allow tens of thousands of Mexican truckers onto Americas highways in the next 45 days. Mexican truckers will be allowed to cross our border without any restrictions regulating compliance to our United States Trucking rules, laws, and regulations. No educational requirements to speak fluent English, no weight or load restrictions, as their loads will not be under the same security scrutiny that our truckers' loads have to comply to, which opens the door to more drugs, terrorist, weapons and human smuggling, some with no liability or collision insurance in place, some truckers with no driver-licenses and many with criminal and DUI driving records, no background checks, bald-tires and their un-inspected, unsafe trucks and trailers that are not regulated to adhere to our strict safety regulations. This is a complete breakdown of the current United States federal and state trucking laws and regulations that govern our teamster truckers, independent trucking organizations, and mom-and-pop trucking families. Not only will American truckers lose their jobs, but American truckers and motorists become collateral damage in accidents guaranteed to occurkilling our citizens, destroying property, closing highways and tying up traffic in the process. This will work to destroy the truckers' livelihoods and futures as for many, this is all they have ever done. WE NEED YOU TO GET ON YOUR CB RADIOS AND START BROADCASTING TO EVERY TRUCKER AND CITIZEN IN THE NATION THAT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AT THIS RALLY. LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD. LET'S STOP THE NAU AND NAFTA'S DENEGRATION OF OUR NATION, OUR SOVEREIGNTY, OUR CONSTITUTION, OUR RIGHTS AND OUR FREEDOMS. PLEASE JOIN US...WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW PLEASE CONTACT US @ FREEDOM@SAVEAMERICAFUND.ORG MOST RECENT CONVERSATION WITH FAIR JUST IN: FAIR IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF TRUCKER'S RALLY. Susan Tully, the National Field Director for FAIR has reassured me that FAIR is in full support of our Trucker's Rally protest and are very excited that we have united as a nation to bring the collective message of the American citizen to Washington and every capitol in our nation, that we want the NAU and NAFTA shut down, NO amnesty for aliens in our country illegally, and NO Mexican trucking companies, truckers and trucks in America. While FAIR has not participated in the organization of the Trucker's "Truck Out" Rally, they have been fully supportive of all our efforts to do so. LETS GO HAVE A GREAT AND SUCCESSFUL RALLY!!! posted 04/18/07 THINGS TO DO FOR THE TRUCKER'S RALLY IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THE DAYS OF THE RALLY A SLOW ROLL ON THE BELTWAY ! Anyone coming to the Trucker's Rally protest in D.C. in an 18 wheeler, is reminded that we are ONLY allowed to protest on the Beltway around Capitol Hill. We are asking that you Slow Roll your trucks and all other vehicles, bumper to bumper, to form a protest Rally convoy around the D.C Beltway. You can do this all day, from early in the morning until 5 pm every afternoon, and hope you will choose to stay for all three days of the Rally. All state capitol buildings have a security perimeter around them that amounts to about a two block area around the entire building or buildings. We are asking that all truckers and other participants going to the capitol of the state you are in, to observe the security perimeter and proceed with your Slow Rolling Truck Out protest on the streets outside that security perimeter. The impact will still be the same, but we will not be in violation of any homeland security measures to protect our capitol buildings and the people inside. As long as we observe all laws and Homeland Security measures to protect our national and state capitols, there should be no reason for any one participating in the Truck Out Rally to have any problems the days of the rally. Stay in communication with each other through your CB radios and help guide eachother to the freeway exits and entrances and streets around the capitol buildings of the states you will be protesting at. Watch each other's backs and keep each other safe from making mistakes that could hurt the purpose of the rally. We must make sure to let all emergency vehicles, ambulances, police and other security vehicles through our rally lines. These vehicles must not be blocked from doing what they need to do. Also, about 25 funerals happen every day at Arlington National Cemetary, and we must make sure to allow the funeral cars, and those attending the funerals, to get through the Rally protest. I have asked that any cars attending funerals please put signs on their cars identifying them as participants in a funeral at the Arlington Cemetary. Please be especially mindful of ANY cars trying to get through the Rally lines, as these may be families burying their sons and daughters from Iraq. This is a non-partisan, non-prejudice, peaceful demonstration that will include every age, race, religion, and political preference. We want to be polite, but truthful, clear and educated about our reasons for the Trucker's Rally. No violence or foul language will be condoned. You can get angry, you can be loud, you can tell it like it is, you can point fingers, just do it with restraint and control. We are calling for every Rally protestor to exercise maturity and wisdom if you are confronted by pro-illegal demonstrators. PLEASE PUT AMERICAN FLAGS ON ALL YOUR VEHICLES, picket signs in big bold letters, and messages or large posters, etc., on trucks and all other vehicles are encouraged. Please use discretion and NO FOUL LANGUAGE OR RACIST REMARKS. "Stop the Invasion", "STOP THE NORTH AMERICAN UNION". "NO North American Union", and "STOP NAFTA's Destruction of America", "WE WILL NOT GIVE UP OUR SOVEREIGNTY OR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION, FREEDOMS, and SOVEREIGNTY." "NO FOREIGN TRUCKING COMPANIES IN AMERICA", "I WILL NOT LOOSE MY JOB TO A FOREIGN TRUCKER WITHOUT A FIGHT", "I AM FIGHTING G. W.'S CRIMINAL PLAN TO GIVE AWAY MY JOB". These are all fine to use, and you get the idea for signage. Be creative, USE YOUR OWN IDEAS, and go for it, we need to let America know why we are there. We are asking that anyone participating in the rally refrain from using any words or phrases in their posters, banners or signs that could be construed as "racist." We are asking all Truck Rally participants to come to the rally sites around the nation and hopefully be there to stay for all three days. If you can only give us one day, we are grateful for any time you can give to the effort. The rally hours will be from any time in the morning till 5 PM April 23, 24, 25, 2007. Stock up on food and water to take to the rally, and locate places you can go to the bathroom when you arrive at the sites. Locate rest stops, truck stops, hotels, etc you can stay at in the evenings if you are not close enough to drive home for the night. If you live close and can share your driveway or home, or bathroom and kitchen facilities to other protesters, we ask that you do so. Some people will be traveling long distances to get here. If you cannot come to the rally for all three days, but want to participate, we are asking that you still do what we are calling a "Slow Rolling Truck Out" on the DC Beltway, or around your own state capitol or on the freeways across the country. Just join in the rally that is happening for as long as you can participate, then break off to go on your way. Drive slowly around the capitol buildings, bumper to bumper with other truckers and cars, vans, busses, etc, joining in the rally, honk your horns and make sure you have American Flags, posters or banners on your trucks, cars, etc, telling everyone why you are there. If you cannot make it to the White House or the capitol of your state, but still want to participate, you can do "Slow Rolling Truck Outs" on the freeways and highways by forming a line of trucks, cars, etc. across all the lanes of the freeway, side by side, and driving the slowest speed allowed by law, backing up traffic behind you for miles. Once again, make sure you have banners on your trucks that talk about STOP THE NORTH AMERICAN UNION, and SAVE AMERICA NOW, SAVE OUR SOVEREIGNTY NOW, SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION NOW. A few have voiced their opinion about the Slow Roll Truck Out on our state highways and freeways, and have found this idea offensive, but in return I tell them, would they rather suffer the inconvenience of a protest for three days and some added freeway congestion, to prevent the NAU and our govt's criminal destruction of our country, or would they rather have it their way and watch our Constitution be destroyed, our sovereignty destroyed and every citizen in America enslaved to a fascist govt so they are not inconvenienced for three days? The Slow Roll on our freeways has been done before, very successfully, by We the People Constitutional Law Firm in New York. They did it to get legislation through the senate there. They backed up traffic for 35 miles the first day, and on the second day of their protest, some of the Senators and Congress members, headed up their protest and led the freeway convoy. They won their battle and Congress gave in. It's safe and very effective. The goal of the rally is to wake up the "still sleeping" part of America to what our government has been and is doing to destroy our nation and the lives of every legal citizen and legal immigrant.

It's a new day on the campaign trail, one filled with talk of the general election. John and Barack prepare for a possible series of townhall style debates, while the Democratic Party tries to ease Hillary towards the exit. ALSO: What's Sam Donaldson like at a cocktail party?

Sam Donaldson says Wright's storm cloud may have a silver lining for Obama.

Sam Donaldson and David Chalian make predictions for Super Tuesday.

ABC's Sam Donaldson considers the best way to characterize the Dem race.

It's a new day on the campaign trail, one filled with talk of the general election. John and Barack prepare for a possible series of townhall style debates, while the Democratic Party tries to ease Hillary towards the exit. ALSO: What's Sam Donaldson like at a cocktail party?

Sam Donaldson talks to gossip blogger about his endorsement of Sen. Clinton.

more at http://www.theuptake.org University of Minnesota Professor John Logie talks about how the Clinton campaign has interjected race into the election and how Hillary Clinton's "concession" speech shows just how close this race really is. This is a second part of John Logie's analysis. Transcription: As has often been the case in this campaign, Barack Obama delivered a speech that was exemplary in terms of political rhetoric. The takeaway phrase in this was "the choice in this election is not between regions or religions or genders. It's not about rich vs. poor, young vs. old and it is not about black vs. white. It is about the past vs. the future". Barack Obama clearly thinks that's a winning message. This was the central point in a speech that was highly visible. And it's an argument that might well change the dynamics of the upcoming contest on what we're now stupidly calling "Super Duper Tuesday". It will be interesting to see how the mainstream media covers Obama victory and in particular Obama's powerful speech. Or whether the next news cycle is dominated by someone who has a habit of dominating news cycles and that's Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton managed to pull the focus away from his wife's campaign yet again with his comparison of Barack Obama to Jesse Jackson. The clear import of Clinton's comparison is to suggest that Black candidates do well in South Carolina and thus, Barack Obama then impending victory could be discounted because "hey, South Carolina voters tend to like Black candidates." With that I think we can close any further debate as to whether the Clinton campaign is actively injecting race as an issue into the 2008 Democratic primary season. They are doing it. Bill Clinton is doing it. Whether he is the designated attack dog for the Clinton campaign or just a loose cannon, this is unfortunate. It's especially unfortunate given the sharp contrast between Clinton's role in this campaign and the role of his predecessors have tended to take in previous campaigns. Admittedly he's in a difficult situation, being both a former President and Presidents have tended to maintain a kind of respectful silence as campaigns have unfolded. He's also a political spouse and there are certain obligations. But, I think you could draw a sharp contrast between the role he's taken and the role either Elizabeth Edwards or Michelle Obama has taken. Both of whom have tended to be much more supportive of the merits of their spouses rather than attacking opponents. There was a subtle but clear indication about just how close this race is by the way the Clinton camp conceded -- and I'm using the word conceded loosely. They finished in a distant second place and the Clinton camp elected not to have Hillary Clinton speak in the form of a traditional concession speech, but delivered a short written message to the press. That message said among other things "on to Florida." Because Florida and Michigan jumped the gun and held primaries before February 5th, their delegates don't count. And there was an agreement among most Democrats not to campaign there. Now as we saw in Michigan, Hillary Clinton's name ended up on the ballot despite that agreement. And that dynamic is playing out again in Florida. So essentially Hillary Clinton is running uncontested in those states. And she wants votes to count. If the core message coming out of her "concession" to Barack Obama in the South Carolina primary is "now we're moving on to Florida", that's an indication of just how close this race has gotten. So that's how things look from a kitchen table in south Minneapolis. For The Uptake, this is John Logie.