Obama Looking for a Democratic State Governor as His Running Mate

With party nomination a near certainty, Senator Barrack Obama was reportedly looking for a Vice Presidential candidate from among the 28 Democratic governors in the country. He has scheduled a meeting with the governors in Chicago on June 16th according to several news sources. State governors targeted were those where a shift in allegiance from Republican to Democratic was considered highly likely in November this year. Some governors mentioned were: Tom Vilsack of Iowa, Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mike Easley of North Carolina. Meanwhile, at least 15 to 25 additional super delegates were expected to endorse Senator Barrack Obama today as the primary season ended in S. Dakota and Montana. Obama was getting closer to the requisite 2,118 delegate number to clinch the nomination, as I write.

It looks like the end of the road for Clinton, a 30 year-veteran who has been a political stalwart of stature by her own right. Even though she just missed the nomination she so eagerly craved, people would remember her for the gritty manner she fought. It is a dilemma to confront the endgame; her supporters divide between those who would cede gracefully to Barrack Obama and those who would take the fight to the party convention in August.

Most observers believe that she would cede for the sake of the party and its prospects against the Republican candidate John McCain in November. Hers was a feisty campaign; showing resilience and strength of character beyond all doubt. Some believe that in clinging on, she risks bringing what has been a thrilling duel to a scrappy and raucous end in which all the good things about this campaign are forgotten. Both she and Obama deserve to be remembered for a hard fought fight.

In retrospect, both candidates made serious errors. While Obama handled the enigmatic race question with sophistication and assurance, he tripped over his turbulent priest Jeremiah Wright. His decision to break not only with the pastor, but also with the church whose congregation he belonged to for 20 years, was probably a necessary step towards electability. But the price paid may take a toll sooner or later.

Senator Barrack Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination

Senator Barrack Obama has effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination even if he were to lose both S. Dakota and Montana as many super delegates have just expressed their endorsements of Obama-he may win both primaries tonight. Based on a tally of convention delegates, both pledged and super delegates Obama has exceed the required 2,118 delegate count now. He becomes the first black candidate ever to lead his party into a fall campaign for the White House. He had greater sustaining power than his gamey contender Hillary Clinton who fought to the last primary.

Both Obama and Clinton drew historic voter turnout primary after primary. It looked somewhat racially polarizing towards the end as Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Virginia rallied behind Clinton. Obama is certain of getting more than the 2,118 delegates for clinching the party nomination at the Convention in August. The 46-year-old first term senator will face Sen. John McCain of Arizona in the fall campaign to become the 44th president.

The anatomy of the Obama win was described as a combination of unstoppable prodigious fundraising, ultra modern organizing skills delivered meticulously and his theme of change that motivated an electorate opposed to the Iraq war and worried about the economy. These were harnessed to his own innate gifts as an orator and a campaigner.

Clinton campaigned from the beginning as the candidate of experience ready to be president from day one, a former first lady and second-term senator of repute. It may have overstated the position so much as to sound like a scolding voice of a seasoned veteran jostling against a charismatic and audacious charmer,

But after a somewhat shaky year on the trail, Obama won the first Iowa caucuses on January. 3, 2008. Suddenly, the 46 year-old upstart had become acceptable currency-in fact, sovereign gold

His acceptance speech after winning Iowa was ''We came together as Democrats, as Republicans and independents, to stand up and say we are one nation, we are one people and our time for change has come.” A video built around Obama's ''Yes, we can'' rallying cry quickly went ballistic. It drew its one millionth hit within a few days of being posted,

US agrees to expand trade and investment with Sri Lanka

The meeting between Sri Lanka and United States at the sixth US-Sri Lanka Trade and investment Framework Agreement Council meeting held in Washington deepened both countries’ commitment to expand bilateral trade and investment said John K. Veroneau.

The US delegation was led by Deputy US Trade Representative John K. Veroneau. Gamini Lakshman (G.L.) Peiris, Minister for Export Development and International Trade, led the Sri Lankan delegation.

“We are honored to play a role in supporting Sri Lanka’s economic development by enhancing opportunities for trade, particularly in the wake of the tsunami that devastated so much of Sri Lanka in late 2004,” Ambassador Veroneau said. “Today’s meetings served to identify areas of common interest and deepen our commitment to expanded bilateral trade and investment between our two countries.”

“Sri Lanka continues to value the importance of long-standing trade and political relations with the United States of America, which is the largest single market for its exports,” said Minister Peiris. “The TIFA process provides an ideal platform for the two countries to engage in a constructive dialogue in further enhancing these relations for their mutual benefit. Enhancing market access for its exports and promoting close cooperation for capacity building in areas such as IPR, customs, anti-dumping and countervailing duties, information technology, etc., rank very high on Sri Lanka’s agenda in this context.”

U.S. and Sri Lankan officials reviewed progress in addressing bilateral trade and investment issues identified at the last TIFA Council meeting in November 2006, including common interests on which the two countries can work together to facilitate expanded trade and cooperation. They discussed the status of the ongoing WTO/Doha negotiations, Sri Lanka’s use of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, and U.S. trade capacity building assistance to Sri Lanka. In addition, the TIFA Council discussed issues affecting U.S. exports, such as Sri Lanka’s agricultural biotechnology policies, import tariffs, intellectual property rights protection, and transparency in government procurement.

On July 2, 2002, the United States and Sri Lanka signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) that provides a forum for both countries to examine ways to expand bilateral trade and investment. The TIFA Council facilitates an ongoing dialogue to identify and works to remove impediments to trade and investment flows between the two nations.

Total two-way trade between Sri Lanka and the United States totaled $2.3 billion in 2007, with U.S. imports of $2.2 billion and U.S. exports of $227 million. The leading U.S. exports to Sri Lanka were cereals (wheat and maize), electrical machinery, optical and medical instruments, and plastics. U.S. imports from Sri Lanka are primarily apparel, rubber, precious stones, and machinery. In 2007, U.S. imports from Sri Lanka qualifying for GSP provisions were valued at $153 million.