2008 Presidential election

Washington, DC - 04/15/2009 - The 2008 election was the first in which more than half the voting-age population used the Internet for political purposes. Some 55% of all adults – and 74% of all Internet users – said they went online for news and information about the election or to communicate with others about the race.

This is among the findings of a new report by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, which also found that social media platforms such as blogs, social networking sites and video-sharing sites played a key role in 2008 as voters went online to share their views with others and try to mobilize them to their cause. Among some of the key activities and technologies that grew in prominence in the election:

Washington, DC - 03/26/2009 - As many as three million registered voters did not cast a ballot in the 2008 General Election due to voter registration problems, suggests a survey cited today by Doug Chapin, director of Election Initiatives for the Pew Center on the States in testimony before the Subcommittee on Elections of the Committee on House Administration. The problem was most acute for younger voters and registered voters who moved less than a year ago, one in four of whom said that a problem with their registration was a major reason why they did not cast a ballot.

Republican and Former Secretary of State Colin Powell formally announced his endorsement of Barack Obama for President this morning, during a widely-anticipated appearance on NBC's Meet the Press. Here's the interview video:

“As gifted as he is, he [McCain] is essentially going to execute the Republican agenda, the orthodoxy of the Republican agenda, with a new face and a maverick approach to it, and he’d be quite good at it,” Mr. Powell said. “But I think we need a generational change.”

"The current economic crisis demands that we understand John McCain's attitudes about economic oversight and corporate influence in federal regulation. Nothing illustrates the danger of his approach more clearly than his central role in the savings and loan scandal of the late '80s and early '90s.

September 28, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Statement of Barack Obama on Financial Plan Breakthrough:

"The breakthrough between Congress and the Administration is the culmination of a sorry period in our history, in which reckless speculation and greed on Wall Street and lax oversight from Washington led to a meltdown of our financial markets.

Barack Obama: Photo: Barack Obama campaign

But regardless of how we got here, a failure to deal with the current crisis would have devastating consequences for our economy, costing millions of Americans their jobs and retirement security.

September 24, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today sent the following letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake, requesting that he release critical information and data relating to veterans health care, disability claims and Vet Center activity. Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began, veterans have faced unique challenges as they return to their families and communities, including health-related needs as well as community readjustment concerns.

September 25, 2008 -- IL - Below is a Statement from Senator Barack Obama on Washington Mutual

"The government-brokered sale of Washington Mutual is the latest sign of the perilous situation facing our financial system and our economy. Although Americans with deposits at Washington Mutual should rest assured that they are safe under this arrangement, the failures of our financial institutions threaten economic instability, jobs, and the incomes of American families.

This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. This is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem - this is an American problem. Now, we must find an American solution," said Senator Barack Obama.

Source: Senator Barack Obama

New York -- 25 September 2008 -- A global forum hosted by former President Bill Clinton focused on energy and climate change during its second day Thursday. Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain, outlined their thoughts on U.S. energy needs and global warming to the bipartisan group before traveling to Washington to meet with President Bush on the U.S. financial crisis.

September 01, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - "I welcome the results of today's emergency summit of European Union leaders in Brussels. The EU made clear, as I have repeatedly insisted, that Georgia's territorial integrity must be respected, that Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states must be rejected, that the six-point peace plan of August 12 must be implemented in its entirety, and that Georgia must be given substantial humanitarian and economic assistance.

September 01, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - "I understand that Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda has offered his resignation today. Japan is our leading ally in Asia and a vibrant democracy.

I want to express to the Prime Minister my appreciation, which I believe is shared by the American people, for his leadership on climate change and the support that Japan's Self Defense Forces have offered U.S. operations in Afghanistan.

Our alliance with Japan is based on common values and interests, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with Prime Minister Fukuda's successor in the months and years ahead to strengthen and deepen cooperation between our two nations and to create a truly global partnership."

Source: Barack Obama campaign