Senator Hillary Clinton's keynote speech spanned her career, campaign and future challenges facing our nation, but from beginning to end she emphasized one key theme: it's time to elect Barack Obama president. And to her supporters who may consider voting republican, she offered the following:

Now, John McCain is my colleague and my friend.

He has served our country with honor and courage.

But we don't need four more years ... of the last eight years.

More economic stagnation ... and less affordable health care.

More high gas prices ... and less alternative energy.

More jobs getting shipped overseas ... and fewer jobs created here.

More skyrocketing debt ... home foreclosures ... and mounting bills that are crushing our middle class families.

More war ... less diplomacy.

More of a government where the privileged come first ... and everyone else comes last.

John McCain says the economy is fundamentally sound. John McCain doesn't think that 47 million people without health insurance is a crisis. John McCain wants to privatize Social Security. And in 2008, he still thinks it's OK when women don't earn equal pay for equal work.

With an agenda like that, it makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities. Because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart.

The audience seemed a little divided at first - some were listening in awe, others were far less interested - but as Clinton's speech picked up momentum the entire audience was captivated.

If Monday night's theme was "values," then Tuesday's was "change." From the posters that read "McCAIN More of The Same" to the (sometimes) rousing speeches from elected officials, the message was clear: America needs a change in leadership to address challenges facing our country. It's time to elect Barack Obama.

MoveOn.org announced its finalists for the "Manifest Hope Gallery Contest" competition:

...31 finalists, chosen from over 1000 pieces of art submitted to the Manifest Hope Gallery Contest by MoveOn.org members and other grassroots artists. These artists have volunteered their time and their incredible talents to help spread the word about Barack Obama and the inspirational themes of his candidacy. The five winners are on display this week at the Manifest Hope Gallery in Denver.

Last night's opening ceremonies in Denver have been generally well received beyond the Rocky Mountain state - from Senator Kennedy's "surprise" appearance to Michelle Obama's first-ever prime time speech.

The message for the week appears to be "values." Specifically, Senator Obama's campaign wants to reassure voters that he shares their values and has a similar background to that of the average American. Various polls - some as early as last year - have shown that voters believe that they do not have much in common with the Democratic nominee.

Mrs. Obama's speech hit that message effectively as she told of her relationship with her husband and the future that they hope for their children - and all children in our country. That their family is just like any other American family, with similar dreams and challenges.

And now, on to Day 2...

With the Kansas Secretary of State predicting an abysmal voter turnout next week, I want to remind fellow Kansans that it's time to vote.

We're pretty excited about the primary in Ellis County, as there are a number of contested local races. One campaign in particular has really gotten peoples' attention - the race for County Clerk.

"There's no question about it. Wall Street got drunk -- that's one of the reasons I asked you to turn off the TV cameras -- it got drunk and now it's got a hangover. The question is how long will it sober up and not try to do all these fancy financial instruments."

Then, making light of the foreclosure crisis, [George W. Bush] said: "And then we got a housing issue... not in Houston, and evidently not in Dallas, because Laura's over there trying to buy a house. [great laughter] I like Crawford but unfortunately after eight years of sacrifice, I am apparently no longer the decision maker."

Voting in Ellis County, Kansas, became much more difficult over the past couple of years. Our County Clerk - the chief election officer for my county - cut the number of polling places substantially. The Clerk also forced voters to use new electronic machines and told poll workers "hold back the paper ballots." Voters were confused about these changes, and voter participation has dropped dramatically.

So now the Clerk is up for re-election and has opposition. Dottie Staab is challenging the incumbent and has a lot of momentum. Both candidates are Democrats - violating the 11th Commandment of politics - but I think that this is good. It's important for voters to have a choice in elections, and they finally do. Plus, if Dottie carries out her promises, it'll be easier for everyone to vote.

Please visit Dottie's website. Take a look around, maybe send her a note of encouragement, or even give her a donation. And if you live in Ellis County, Kansas, her site will tell you where your new polling place is.

Car·pet·bag·ger \-ˌba-gər\ n [from their carrying all their belongings in carpetbags, 1868] 1: a Northerner in the South after the American Civil War usually seeking private gain under the reconstruction governments 2: outsider; especially : a nonresident or new resident who seeks private gain from an area often by meddling in its business or politics. - Merriam-Webster's online dictionary

Conservatives are worried about the November election - polls show Senator Obama easily beating McCain.

No surprise, then, that two right-wing republican attack dogs have come forth with their analysis of the Democratic nominee: Karl (Turdblossom) Rove calls Obama "arrogant," while Grover Norquist says that the Democrat is "John Kerry with a tan."

Really? Is that the best you guys can do?

Since his December 2007 endorsement of McCain, Senator Joe Lieberman has been at the republican's side at every important moment.

Yesterday Lieberman indicated that "John McCain on Foreign Policy is closer to where Al Gore and I were in 2000, then Barack Obama is." He went on to say:

I’m closer on a lot of issues, not all, to Obama," Lieberman said. "But the big difference for me is, McCain will actually get something done. It’s one thing to say where you are on a policy and give a good speech, but McCain as president will actually get something done."

While we're talking about wacko evangelicals, let's take a moment to discuss Dr. James Dobson, the homophobic, misogynistic founder of Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family.

Dr. Dobson is not a friend of Senator McCain - some say that he loathes the republican nominee - but the good doctor took some time this week on his syndicated radio show to refrain from the usual topic of Bible-friendly child rearing advice and turn to presidential politics. Specifically, Dobson:

... took aim at examples Obama cited [in a 2006 speech] in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy — chapters like Leviticus, which Obama said suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination, or Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, "a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application."

Dobson reserved some of his harshest criticism for Obama's argument that the religiously motivated must frame debates over issues like abortion not just in their own religion's terms but in arguments accessible to all people...