The bad news keeps coming...

Obama Fundraiser Defects to Clinton

A longtime Democratic fundraiser has abandoned Barack Obama's campaign to help rival Hillary Rodham Clinton win the party's presidential nomination.

Bob Farmer, who was a top fundraiser for several past Democratic presidential candidates, had served on Obama's national finance committee.
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Farmer's defection to Clinton comes as her presidential campaign has been building steam. She holds a double-digit lead in national polls and a clear advantage in early voting New Hampshire. Iowa, however, still remains competitive among Clinton, Obama and John Edwards.
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For Obama, the loss of such a big name in political fundraising circles is hardly welcome news at his campaign.

Farmer was the finance chair of the Democratic National Committee during President George H.W. Bush's administration. He was a top fundraiser for Michael Dukakis in 1988, Bill Clinton in 1992 and John Kerry in 2004.

A Chicago beachhead for Clinton
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/

 reader forwards a copy of an invitation to a Nov. 1 fundraiser with Bill Clinton that's raising eyebrows in Obama's hometown.

That's because one of the hosts, Elzie Higginbottom, is a major player in the city's politics and a close ally of Mayor Richard Daley, for whom he's a key point of contact with the African-American community.

A wealthy real estate developer, Higginbottom is close to Obama's Chicago circle and part of the establishment that, until now, has been nearly united behind Obama. My source, who isn't a Clinton supporter, described his support for Hillary as a serious crack in the Chicago front.

Meanwhile, Obama gay bashing tour continues to draw firestorm.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/S C_OBAMA_GOSPEL_SINGER_SCOL-?SITE=SCAND&a mp;SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Obama campaign concert overshadowed by criticism, protest

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was passing out fliers in this early voting state, eagerly promoting a gospel concert dubbed "Embrace the Change."

Now a week later, the concert is overshadowed by gay and lesbian activists upset that a singer who says homosexuality is a choice has not been removed from the lineup. Obama's campaign tried to quell the anger by adding an openly gay pastor to the event, but the activists weren't appeased and planned a protest outside Sunday's concert - once seen as a unifying moment.

The campaign backlash piqued with a conference call Thursday night between one of Obama's top strategists, Joshua DuBois, trying ease national criticism and discontent from more than a dozen of South Carolina's top gay and lesbian activists.

The concert DuBois saw as an event to bring people together had actually fractured supporters who noticed that Grammy-winning singer Donnie McClurkin was a headliner.
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It's unclear if DuBois was ready for this week's backlash. When the conference call about McClurkin ended, gay activists got off the phone and leaders of the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement agreed to hold a protest, urging national groups to participate, too.

"They really didn't make any headway," the state group's president, Michael VanDiver, said of Obama's campaign. "They would never answer our questions other than saying Obama said he would not pull this guy from the event that is taking place Sunday."

It is getting messier and messier... A a group called PFOX ("Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays") is calling "for Gay Activists to Stop Promoting Hatred Against Former Homosexuals Participating in Obama Presidential Campaign."

http://pfox.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=20 4

Family Organization Calls for Gay Activists to Stop Promoting Hatred Against Former Homosexuals Participating in Obama Presidential Campaign.Gay groups attack African-American for coming out of homosexuality.

Washington DC -- Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX) has called on gay activists to end their attacks against Donnie McClurkin, an African-American gospel singer and former homosexual. Mr. McClurkin is a Grammy Award winner who is using his singing voice to participate in gospel concerts to raise funds for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Some gay activists are demanding that Sen. Obama drop McClurkin from the singing tour.

"Ex-gays have the same right to participate in the political process as other Americans and should not have to endure this type of abuse because they chose to leave homosexuality," said Regina Griggs, PFOX executive director. "Gay rights groups demand hate crimes laws and sexual orientation non-discrimination legislation, but would deny the same protection to ex-gays who want full inclusion in society at the same level that gays currently enjoy."

"This irrational behavior towards those who have overcome unwanted same-sex attractions perpetuates misunderstanding and harm against ex-gays. It also demonstrates a disregard for diversity and a refusal to respect a basic human right to dignity and self-determination," said Griggs.

Uniter or divider?