Mother Talkers

Hump Day Open Thread

Wed May 14, 2008 at 05:27:37 AM PDT

CNN has detailed results of last night's West Virginia primary. Sen. Hillary Clinton crushed Sen. Barack Obama there, 67-26, with the rest of voters going for John Edwards who was still on the ballot.

Update on China's Earthquake: The news coming out of Asia has not been good recently. China was the most recent country to be hit by a natural disaster, this time by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Sichuan and nearby provinces, the worst earthquake the country has experienced in decades.

So far, it has killed nearly 15,000 people, trapped at least 25,000 while another 14,000 remain missing and destroyed up to 80 percent of the buildings in at least one county. The earthquake could be felt as far away as Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand, MSNBC reported.

Foreign aid is starting to trickle in, but as this Associated Press article pointed out, people are in desperate need for medical attention, food and water.

Racism on the Campaign Trail: Some of Sen. Barack Obama's most ardent supporters, including white canvassers, have spoken out about the racism they have encountered on the campaign trail, according to the Washington Post. As the article pointed out, there have been a number of racial incidents on the campaign trail, including the vandalization of an Obama office in Indiana, racial slurs, hostility and death threats. The young people quoted in the article rightfully felt dispirited, but they were quick to note that the tide seems to be turning in this country.

For the most part, Obama campaign workers say, the 2008 election cycle has been exhilarating. On the ground, the Obama campaign is being driven by youngsters, many of whom are imbued with an optimism undeterred by racial intolerance. "We've grown up in a different world," says Danielle Ross. Field offices are staffed by 20-somethings who hold positions -- state director, regional field director, field organizer -- that are typically off limits to newcomers to presidential politics.

Despite these sad incidents, it was great to see these young people continuously put themselves out there.

What else is in the news? What's up with you?

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Tags: Kentucky primary, China, earthquake, 7, 8 temblor (all tags)

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