Seems the Republicans are losing on the "character" and "values" issues. The pastor and spiritual advisor to the Bush family, the very man who presided at Jenna Bush's wedding recently, has harshly criticized Republican John McCain for his lack of values and poor character and has endorsed Barack Obama.

Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell of the Windsor Village United Methodist Church gave the official benedictions at Bush's inauguration in 2001 and 2005. Although a controversial figure for his first inaugural benediction in 2001 that explicitly excluded non-Christians, and for his inspiration of Bush's "faith based initiatives," there is no question that he is in touch with what Republicans mean when they discuss values and character.

Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell just publicly denounced John McCain's morals and has endorsed Barack Obama.

Got a message from my brother. He saw the run on the IndyMac Bank in Duarte, California.

Let me introduce this with dueling headlines. From the Pasadena Star-News:

IndyMac appears close to collapse: US regulators may not be ready to protect bank

And from the LA Times:

IndyMac denies that it's close to collapse: "Depositors have been pulling money from the Pasadena-based thrift, whose share price is down 90% this year."

Today, my brother saw a crowd at the Duarte IndyMac Bank desperately trying to get their savings out. Many elderly people were claiming that they are being offered dollar for dollar on the first $100,000...after that only fifty cents on the dollar.

In 2003 the Bush administration adopted a rule stipulating that any organization receiving US funds for HIV/AIDS prevention must sign an "anti-prostitution pledge." The pledge requirement, introduced by right-wing New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith (R), has had devastating effects on humanitarian organizations worldwide, crippling the ability of NGOs to work with the populations most at risk from HIV, isolating sex worker advocacy organizations from their allies, and fueling discrimination against sex workers and gay people.

Because of its vague, confusing language, and because it blocks groups receiving USAID money even from using their own private funds to aid vulnerable sex workers, the pledge has effectively gutted the otherwise-laudible President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a five-year, $15 billion effort to fight the spread of the virus. Arguably, it means that PEPFAR has done more harm than good. Last year, in response to a lawsuit by the Soros Foundation's Open Society Institute, a federal judge here in New York found that the pledge violated the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. Rather than drop the requirement, however, USAID and the Department of Health and Human Services moved last month to make things even more difficult for humanitarian groups.

Now, the Network of Sex Work Projects has produced a 13-minute video called "Taking the Pledge," which interviews activists from a number of countries affected by the policy, documenting some of the harm it has done. An accompanying NSWP fact sheet explains why the pledge is so misguided:

These policies run contrary to best practices in public health and are undermining efforts to stem the spread of HIV and human trafficking. The restrictions preclude recipients of US funds from using proven effective practices to prevent the spread of HIV among marginalized populations, and undermine efforts to promote the fundamental human rights of all persons.

How pissed are you at Bush? How pissed are you that he ignored the warnings of 9/11, allowing the deaths of our fellow New Yorkers? How pissed are you that Bush has publicly said he doesn't care about capturing Osama bin Laden?

Well, our neighbors in New Jersey are asking us to help them show Bush he isn't welcome in our neck of the woods. This comes from some contacts I have in New Jersey, and is being organized by the NJ Democrats. I urge people to try and attend. I want Bush to feel as uncomfortable as possible anytime he gets anywhere NEAR New York. Here's the flyer: