If you’re within the internet generation, like myself, it’s most likely that you’ve come across Senator Obama’s star-laden video homage. The overall message of that video, is “yes, we can” which is an excerpt from his now famous speech. A few political trouble makers have come up with their own version of the video, but instead of celebrating Obama’s exceptional orating skills, it takes a stab at Republican nominee John McCain (and continues to twist the knife). They don’t cite a single speech, as Obama’s camp did, but they connect rather terrifying and negative comments he’s made with some rather hilarious imagery. Take a look for yourself…

It looks like the information age and the internet generation will be playing a much larger role in the election than ever before….

Here are the Top 10  Facts about Barack Obama, as read by the candidate himself  on the David Letterman program:

10. My first act as president will be to stop the fighting between Lauren and Heidi on “The Hills.:

9. In the Illinois primary, I accidentally voted for Kucinich.

8. When I tell my kids to clean their room, I finish with, “I’m Barack Obama nand I approved this message.”

7. Throughout high school, I was consistently voted “Barackiest.”

6. Earlier today I bowled a 39.

5. I have canceled all my appearances the day the “Sex in the City” movie opens.

4. It’s the birthplace of Fred Astaire. Sorry, that’s a surprising fun fact about Omaha.

3. We are tirelessly working to get the endorsement of Kentucky Derby favorite Colonel John.

2.This has nothing to do with the Top Ten, but what the heck is up with Paula Abdul?

1. I have not slept since October.

While the democratic nominees are competing over who has the better plan to hand health care insurance to the uninsured, Republican John McCain is launching a TV ad aimed at the other half of the country – those with insurance and paying increasing health care costs(the category I so delightfully fall into).

McCain’s new ad, being aired in Iowa,is attempting to back his campaigns current subject of tackling Health Care.

“The problem with health care in America is not the quality of health care, it’s the availability and the affordibility,” McCain says in the ad. “And that has to do with the dramatic increase in the cost of health care.

“Let’s give every American family a $5,000 refundable tax credit so that they can go out across state lines and get the insurance policy that suits them best.”

North Carolina Democrats haven’t jumped the Barack Obama ship over his remarks about “bitter” voters clinging to the taboo subjects of religion and guns, according to a new poll. The one-day survey of 541 voters found Barrack Obama leads Senator  Hillary Clinton 51% to 36% ahead of the May 6 primary. The survey was conducted on April 14th, proceeding a very intense week of campaigning. The pollers said there was no significant change since the survey in March, and that because so much of the state’s Caucasian   vote is concentrated around colleges in the “Research Triangle”.

If you’ve been following the news coverage of the election, you would probably be aware of the diminishing chance Hillary Clinton has to win the nomination. Good thing for her, though, that it’s only early April.

One of Clinton’s chief and must trusted strategists, Mark Penn, left the campaign over the weekend. Reportedly, he did so voluntarily. Apparently Clinton was furious over his meeting with a delegate from Colombia regarding the Colombian free trade agreement, a proposal Hillary does not support.It really doesn’t matter which is true, though, as Hillary ultimately needs to start pulling her reigns.

For the past two months, Clinton has lost momentum to Obama. Either candidate will have to gain support among both “real” delegates and the highly sought after superdelegates to win the convention. While it’s understood that many Democratic voters have chosen their candidate, superdelegates’ votes are still up in the air. Until the final voting at the convention, the usual groups will appear- many will voice support for a candidate, some will change their minds, and others will remain undecided. It is of course by instinct that these Democratic party insiders are tied to the media’s influence and the news cycle. Unfortunately, momentum in the press and in primaries lead to superdelegate opinions- I mean, who wants to look stupid?

For Clinton, it is hard to argue with the numbers. As noted by NYT, however,  364 super delegates have yet to decide or chose not to answer the recent poll. This week the proverbial pendulum swings in barrack Obama’s favor, but the Pennsylvania primary is coming quickly and Senator Clinton is expected to do well.  Emphasis then shines upon North Carolina, and the Democrates, like usual, are to continue the competition.

While Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton battle over the Democratic  nomination, their party leader is already fighting the general election war.

Republican nominee earlier today issued his first national election campaign ad, which recalls his military service.

See it here

Shortly after, Democratic Chairman Howard Dean lambasted the Republican: “John McCain can try to reintroduce himself to the country, but he can’t change the fact that he cast aside his principles to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Bush for the last seven years.

“While we honor McCain’s military service, the fact is Americans want a real leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn’t understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.”

In light of competition, Republican National Committee Deputy Chairman Frank Donatelli wasn’t going to be humiliated:

“It is beyond comprehension that Howard Dean would smear John McCain’s character by stating he is a ‘blatant opportunist.’ John McCain served our nation heroically and valiantly and it is absolutely unacceptable that the chairman of the Democratic National Committee would attack Senator McCain for discussing his record with the American people.”

Additionally noting, “[Dean] owes John McCain an immediate apology and both Senators Clinton and Obama should unequivocally denounce this disgraceful attack.”

Just this morning, Democratic nominee Barack Obama released his ‘00-’06 tax returns (.pdfs). Looks like it’s up to Hillary to ante up.

The Obama camp is proposing Clinton’s delay in making her family’s returns public means her husband’s post-presidential income streams might have a few skeletons in the closet. Barrack Obama’s communications director Robert Gibbs said , “We’ve put seven years of tax returns on the Internet today. We feel pretty good that that’s a commitment to transparency and open government” and that the statement far exceeds what either Clinton or nominee John McCain has given.

On the question of whether Senator Obama will release returns dating back to 1997, when he entered the Illinois state Senate, Robert Gibbs said he would “check on that.”

How quaint.

A welcomed departure from the usual mesmorizing capaign rhetoric, here’s a look at Obama’s NCAA tournament picks…

For larger view, click on picture.

As Congress continues its debate on the use of earmarks, Barack Obama’s campaign unit today released his earmark requests from 2005 and 2006, and also reminded reporters he was being a “good presidential nominee” and had released last year’s requests.

His main focus was to press presidential rival Hillary Clinton to release, in full, her earmark requests, and to highlight Clinton’s approval of some legislative items to make the process more transparent. If you have the time, I suggest reading them- they’re a pretty good read on their own.

Hillary Clinton took a diligent departure from the campaign grounds of Texas and Ohio Sunday and campaigned in Rhode Island.

Smart move by Hillary. Though there’s usually not much coverage of the state when voting March 4, it’s usually Clinton driven, anyways.

Fortunately it’s one of the nation’s most reliable Democratic-voting states; Rhode Island gave “the other” Clinton an 18% point victory in 1992 and then gave him about 60% of its 1996 vote. In 2000, Al Gore, with the aid of state neighbor Joe Lieberman of Connecticut , the Democrats won 61%. Unforunately for the Republicans, they only voted 14 percent last week on whether or not Bush’s performance was good.

According to Brown University, Senator Clinton leads Illinois Sen. Barack Obama by 36 to 28%.

It should be noted, though, that 27% prefer to not commit and 9% have yet to decide. But I bet Hillary will take all she can get, considering Obama’s current winning run.

See the poll