Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Christopher Padilla says China has replaced Japan as the “bogeyman of the 21st century,” adding that the United States’s reluctance to participate in free trade with Asia is comparable to an Olympic sprinter calling for a timeout as the race starts. (0:54)
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The Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Governor Howard Dean and Co-Chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius held a conference call to discuss the Democrats’ plans to host Senator Barack Obama’s presidential nomination acceptance speech at INVESCO Field in Mile High Stadium in Denver.
With a capacity of around 75,000 people, INVESCO Field will be the site for the Democrats’ historic convention. According to Dean, the large capacity reflects the inclusive political process that is the ‘philosophy’ of Obama’s campaign. Dean said that a location this big has never been done before and that something this new and exciting keeps with Obama’s desire for a change in America.
When asked by a caller whether fundraising has been slow, Dean was quick to deny that allegation and said that the host committee was doing very well despite not having raise all the money it had intended to. Dean was not willing to speculate the cost of holding this event at the INVESCO Field and would only share details once the campaign team has details that they feel are completely accurate. Sebelius added that the Obama campaign plans to work as a team and will help the host center. Dean and Sebelius both gave their thanks to the people working on the Obama campaign trail and to the people of Denver for all the work that they have done. (15:02)

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Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign held a press conference call with economic policy adviser Steve Forbes and senior policy adviser Doug Holtz-Eakin to discuss Senator Obama’s economic plan. Both advisers said that McCain’s economic proposals are opposite that of Obama’s proposals.
Forbes said that Obama has a series of tax proposals that would devastate the U.S. economy. When looking at his voting actions, Obama has been a ‘massive tax increaser.’ Forbes noted that McCain, on the other hand, had tax cut proposals for middle-class Americans and small businesses which is a pro-growth and job creating plan. According to Forbes, small businesses have created around 200,000 jobs and they would be adversely affected by Obama’s economic plan.
When questioned by a caller as to how McCain intends to balance the budget by the end of his first term, the advisers said that McCain will talk about a broad based future in terms of making cheaper energy available to families, helping with international competitiveness and reducing tax burdens on entrepreneurs. The advisers emphasized McCain has ‘learnt lessons of history’ and will not raise taxes when the economy is in trouble. (9:36)

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Talk Radio News Service will cover a discussion on Asian economics and a news conference held by the League of United Latin American Citizens. Chief U.N. Correspondent Dan Patterson will listen to Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict who will discuss her recent trip to Afghanistan.
The Washington Bureau will also participate in a Senator John McCain presidential campaign conference call which will discuss Senator Barack Obama’s economic plan and a conference call to discuss the Democrats’ plans to hold Obama’s presidential nomination acceptance speech at INVESCO Field at Mile High in Denver. In addition, the Washington Bureau will cover a conference call on support for Medicare improvements for the Patients and Providers Act as well as a conference call on the false attacks on Senator Obama’s energy plan.

They partied all day and all night.
Although Canada never officially declared independence from Britain (the last vestiges of power were actually shed as recently as 1982!), July 1 is a holiday marking the joining of the British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada being divided, in the process, into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867.
Canada Day in Ottawa, Ontario, was something to be admired.

Most noteworthy to me was the extent of celebrating. Parade watchers were wearing red, white, and usually a flag. I found that part to be the most interesting: you could buy a Canadian flag, one that you could, indeed, put on a flag pole- and wrap it around your shoulders, make it into a dress, or tie it in a turban around your head. In the United States, no one would ever do that do an actual flag, but here in Canada, if you weren’t decked out in some sort of flag, you were the one that stuck out.
I promptly put a Canadian sticker on my face. I think I’m allowed- my father is from British Columbia.

There were street performers, musical performances, and at one point cannons being blasted off in celebration of Canada Day. Late into the night, people were dancing in the street, screaming “Happy Canada Day!” and watching fireworks.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a Happy Canada Day!