The site of the first joint cammpaign appearance where Hillary Clinton will be campaigning for Barack Obama has been announced: It's Unity, NH.

The joint appearances even have a name now: Unite for Change.

For the last eight years, and for the dozen years before the Clinton administration, the conservative movement has been shockingly successful in pursuing a key agenda: stocking the federal courts with pro-business judges. "Pro-business" meaning, in large part, judges who think they need to protect businesses from juries, who view lawsuits by consumers and employees against businesses as a nuisance, who want to cap or eliminate punitive damages, etc.

The pro-business agenda was advanced in a distressing way last year when the Supreme Court ruled that women who are denied equal pay must bring a claim within 180 days (in some states, 300 in others) after their pay has been established -- even if they don't know about the discriminatory pay within that time period. The Supreme Court's interpretation encourages businesses to conceal disparate salaries or raises; if they do so successfully, they insulate themselves from accountability for their illegal actions. A more reasonable interpretation of the law, one that is faithful to its purpose of prohibiting discrimination, would start the clock running again with every new discriminatory paycheck. But the Court ruled against that position by a 5-4 majority. [More...]

Hillary Clinton released this video today, thanking her supporters and saying she still needs help. If you'd like to help her retire her campaign debt -- which doesn't include the money she lent to her campaign as she views that as her own investment -- go to HillaryClinton.com

Update: Hillary has $26 million in her general campaign account that can't be used for the primary. Those who contributed to it can be asked to re-designate their contributions to Obama's general campaign or perhaps to her Senate re-election campaign, but that's not clear. [More...]

Big Tent Democrat earlier wrote a post about an article that appeared somewhere today on PUMA supporters. He noted he is not a PUMA supporter.

I do not write about PUMA and will not write about PUMA. Why? Let me make it perfectly clear. TalkLeft is not a PUMA site. With Hillary Clinton no longer seeking the nomination, TalkLeft supports Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee for the presidency. PUMA as a movement is irrelevant to me.

Naturally, BTD's post brought out the worst in the comments. Which unfortunately makes it necessary for me to restate yet again what is acceptable and unacceptable commenting here. [More...]

NYTimes:

Mr. Obama is running as a reformer who is seeking to reduce the influence of special interests. But like any other politician, he has powerful constituencies that help shape his views. And when it comes to domestic ethanol, almost all of which is made from corn, he also has advisers and prominent supporters with close ties to the industry at a time when energy policy is a point of sharp contrast between the parties and their presidential candidates.

I do not write this as a rebuke, but as a reality check. Pols are pols and do what they do.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Is Bob Barr the new Ralph Nader?

A fiery former GOP congressman who gained national prominence for doggedly pursuing impeachment of President Clinton has some Republicans worried he'll play spoiler in a tight presidential contest.

Bob Barr's Libertarian Party bid for the White House is the longest of long shots, but political experts say he may be able to exploit the unease some die-hard conservatives still feel about Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting. Combined with the surge in turnout among Democrats during the primaries and a difficult political climate for Republicans, they see what could be a recipe for trouble for the GOP.

"Bob could be the Ralph Nader of 2008," said Dan Schnur, a GOP consultant in California who worked on McCain's 2000 campaign but is not involved in this year's contest.

George Bush is the greater spoiler for Republicans in 2008, but any damage Barr can do to the Republican cause is welcome. Here are some memorable Barr moments, in addition to leading the impeachment fight:

What do you think about Google bombing John McCain?

A political blogger is using a technique known as "Google bombing" to enlist the aid of fellow partisan bloggers to boost the search engine rankings of nine news stories that reflect poorly on Republican presidential candidate John McCain. ... The articles [Chris] Bowers is using range from a story about McCain voting to filibuster a minimum wage hike to an item about the Senate passing an expanded GI bill despite opposition from McCain.

Bowers on the ethics of Google bombing:

The Rocky Mountain News today in an editorial calls on Sen. Barack Obama to "take Denver off the hook" and chip in for the August convention.

Make the calls to your donors, Sen. Obama. Send the e-mails. Denver should no longer be on the hook for Democratic National Convention expenses. A few exhortations to your supporters could quickly retire the city's remaining obligations.

After all, Denver is simply providing the venue for Barack Obama's nomination. It's his party. It's only appropriate to ask his contributors to ensure that the celebration is a rousing success.

Obama has raised $265 million so far. He's now opted out of public financing. Why is he not helping out? [More...]

It's just one poll, but Obama's silence on the FISA capitulation bothers me, so I am posting about it. In any event, at least in terms of national polling, no poll has Obama ahead by more than 5 and leading by less than 2. It's a close race according to these polls.

By Big Tent Democrat

The AP reports:

Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., who leads the Congressional Black Caucus, said members of her caucus asked her to forward the names of Edwards and Nunn when she met Wednesday with Obama's vice presidential search team. The team, Caroline Kennedy and Eric Holder, indicated the two were on the list.

What Obama's committee is looking for:

"I asked them what type of person the senator is looking for? And they said in general someone who could help him rebuild the country ... talking about change. How we reinvest in America, get people back to work and reinforce our education system and bring the jobs back," she said.

More....

Is there such a thing as overexposure? Barack Obama ads are everywhere on the internet. They'll be coming to tv in 18 states and who knows how many radio stations.

Now, Obama is considering taking out ads on NBC for the Olympic Games.

At some point, aren't voters likely to feel the ads are intrusive? Or at least start rolling their eyes?

I'm getting angry that every time I click on a news site, his face is staring at me from the top banner ad or some other prominent space on the site.

He doesn't need to do this. We all know who he is and that he stands for hope and change and bringing a new kind of politics to Washington.

Monks on the mountainside of Tibet know Obama's name and his face and his message. Toddlers could pick him out of a photo lineup. We get it. He's the Democratic nominee for President. He wants our vote. He has my vote.

Does this ad barrage bother anyone else? The last thing I want to see during the Olympic Games is ads for Barack Obama or any politician. Please, can we just have McDonalds, Coke, Pepsi and Burger King? Is nothing sacred?

Barack Obama has a new ad airing in battleground states touting his family values. Here's the script:

"I'm Barack Obama. America is a country of strong families and strong values. My life's been blessed by both.

"I was raised by a single mom and my grandparents. We didn't have much money, but they taught me values straight from the Kansas heartland where they grew up. Accountability and self-reliance. Love of country. Working hard without making excuses. Treating your neighbor as you'd like to be treated. It's what guided me as I worked my way up — taking jobs and loans to make it through college.

More...