WASHINGTON - The federal government on Friday determined that a species of beluga whale native to an inlet off Anchorage, Alaska, is endangered and will require additional protection to survive.

The finding could even have presidential implications: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain's running mate, had questioned scientific evidence that the population was declining.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27238207/

Sign the petition! Send a picture!

http://site.PFAW.org/Palin

"John McCain and his Vice Presidential pick Sarah Palin have positions that are absolute anathema to many of our core American values. In recent days the GOP has tried to bully members of the media and anyone else who dares criticize or question Palin's extreme positions. Yet every day we learn more about the efforts of both John McCain and Sarah Palin to pander to the Religious Right.

Read comments from WI voters from around the state as they cast their votes today...

http://blogs.jsonline.com/allpoliticswatch/

Particularly telling:

"A vote doesn't necessarily mean a show of confidence for one candidate over another. Sometimes, it's a lot more complicated than that.

Take Audrey Murray, a 74-year-old registered Republican. She said she voted for Barack Obama at Glenwood Elementary School in Greenfield - but not because she likes him.

Please send your encouragement to my fabulous progressive senator in this important matter!

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/Home.html

Thank you!!!

Who's holding up Russ' bill?

"A Republican Senator is trying to derail my campaign finance disclosure bill, and I need your help to figure out who it is.

My legislation, the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act (S. 223), requires Senate campaigns to submit campaign finance reports electronically. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? House campaigns, political parties, Presidential campaigns, and even 527's already file their reports online – but that's not the case in the Senate.

Months to go before votes are cast, but already reams of poll data to weigh

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17471274/

On YouTube, submitted by person309:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfcWVAdgIZU

A Wisconsin court has confirmed that Congressman Mark Green violated Wisconsin's campaign finance laws when he transferred $468,000 in illegal special interest money

A Dane County Circuit Court judge ruled today that the State Elections Board was correct when it ordered Congressman Mark Green to divest his campaign of the illegal money.

If you haven't already done so - click below to sign the petition to demand that Congressman Mark Green return his illegal Political Action Committee (PAC) money.

http://action.doylelawton.com/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=224

In a written opinion issued, Judge Richard Neiss denied Congressman Greens motion for an injunction to stop a State Elections Board order instructing Green to divest himself of the illegal money.

Email exchange from yesterday:

-----Original Message-----
From:

[mailto:CathyleeB@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 8:10 AM
To: Letters
Subject: To the Editor

In a "Political Calendar" sidebar to the Hardball Lieberman debate story
by
Tom Curry, (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13740130/), there is a Dec. 23
birthday
entry for Wes Clark that links to an archived website that is no longer
functional.

Please consider updating your Wes Clark link to www.securingamerica.com

Thank you-
Cathy Brandstetter
Kenosha, WI

Reply:

Thank you for pointing that out. We have adjusted the link to another