The Matthew 25 Network is a community of Christians – Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, and Evangelical – inspired by the Gospel mandate to put our faith into action to care for our neighbor, especially the most vulnerable.

As a newly formed Political Action Committee, the Matthew 25 Network is reaching out to America's diverse Christian communities in support of Senator Barack Obama. They are raising money to advertise on Christian radio, reach voters of faith, and respond to attacks against Obama.

Learn more about the Matthew 25 Network at their website: www.matthew25.org.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
(As prepared for delivery)
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Zanesville, Ohio

You know, faith based groups like East Side Community Ministry carry a particular meaning for me. Because in a way, they're what led me into public service. It was a Catholic group called The Campaign for Human Development that helped fund the work I did many years ago in Chicago to help lift up neighborhoods that were devastated by the closure of a local steel plant.

Washington, DC - Reverend John Hagee this week apologized for his offensive comments about Catholics.

Despite spending a year courting Hagee's endorsement and refusing to distance himself from the controversial pastor, John McCain reportedly played no role in the apology. McCain has repeatedly refused to publicly denounce Hagee's discriminatory comments about women, African-Americans, America Muslims or LGBT Americans or renounce Hagee's endorsement.

"Now that Reverend Hagee is apologizing for his anti-Catholic comments, does John McCain think that Hagee should also apologize for his other comments? If so will he have the courage to say so publicly? said Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney.

Congressman David Price (D-NC) today participated in a press conference unveiling a new Human Right First report on the government’s management and supervision of private contractors in the war zone.

The report – entitled “Private Contractors at War: Ending the Culture of Impunity" – calls upon Congress to enact Price’s legislation (H.R. 2740) to ensure that all war contractors are held accountable under the U.S. criminal code. The group also urges the Justice Department to use its current authority to investigate and prosecute cases of potential contractor abuse that have been documented in the media.

“The Human Rights First report is a milestone, a clarion call for immediate action to address a problem that has plagued the U.S. missions in Iraq and Afghanistan from the start,” Price said in a speech this morning. “I sincerely hope that the Senate will act soon and that the Administration will cooperate with our efforts [to pass my contractor accountability legislation].”

Statement from the Rev. Dr. William Barber, President of the North Carolina NAACP:

"The light of Christmas has shown on the dark nightmare that James Johnson has suffered for 42 months in a false incarceration on murder, rape, and kidnapping charges without a trial. Tonight the special prosecutor dismissed all murder, rape and kidnaping charges against him. It is a major victory for truth and justice.

"James is an innocent young man who was falsely accused. It is not yet a total victory because one count of accessory remains, but we will celebrate tonight, and pick up the fight tomorrow for James' full exoneration tomorrow."

To read full media coverage of the case and to add your comments, go to
http://www.ncprosecutorialmisconduct.com

Gail Collins, New York Times Op

Huckabee! Huckabee! The man of the hour! What is it that voters love so much about this guy? Is it a hitherto inchoate yearning for a president who knows less about international affairs than they do? Hope that a man who can lose 100 pounds could also get rid of the federal deficit?

Mike is soaring ahead in the early polls, in a surge to the front of the pack that suggests Republicans cannot come to grips with the idea that they are supposed to nominate either Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani for president. There has to be a way out! What about Huckabee? He has a good heart! True, his brain doesn’t seem to have a single thought about foreign policy or know much about domestic policy, for that matter. But one well-functioning body part is better than nothing.

Jennifer Loven, Associated Press

President Bush vetoed legislation Wednesday that would have expanded government-provided health insurance for children, his second slap-down of a bipartisan effort in Congress to dramatically increase funding for the popular program.

It was Bush's seventh veto in seven years - all but one coming since Democrats took control of Congress in January. Wednesday was the deadline for Bush to act or let the bill become law. The president also vetoed an earlier, similar bill expanding the health insurance program.

Bush vetoed the bill in private.

In a statement notifying Congress of his decision, Bush said the bill was unacceptable because - like the first one - it allows adults into the program, would cover people in families with incomes above the U.S. median and raises taxes.