FOX NEWS STIRS UP REPUBLICANS PARENTS

Students in the Albuquerque Public School District will now be allowed to opt out of next weeks Welcome Back To School address by the President of the United States. The option comes after a handful of parents watched a FOX News report and then called and emailed APS.

The ABQ Journal reports some of the parents believe the speech is more like an indoctrination. They also objected to an element which asked students to write describing how they could help the President. They objected to their children participating because they said it was forcing the children to "sign a contract" of support for Obama.

State Dems were quick to repsond. The Democrat Party of New Mexico's Executive Director Josh Geise said, "Only the Republican Party could politicize the president welcoming students back to school."

After listening to parent's concerns, APS Superintendent Winston Brooks has decided to allow parent to opt out of the program which includes appearance by singer Kelly Clarkson and basketball start LeBron James.

APS said they made their decision after checking with several other urban school districts.

The White House said, "The President will challenge student to work hard, set educational goals and take responsiblity for their learning.

We've learned the paper assignment has been withdrawn from the program.
The Bernalillo County Republican Party Vice Chairman told the APS Board he thought the speech violated the district's political solitication policy.

Following the morning speech, the President will appear in a 30-minute documentary featuring singer Kelly Clarkson and Cleveland Cavilier LeBron James.

The program marks the kickoff of an education initiative by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom Inc. Called "Get Schooled."

The five-year campaign is aimed at improving this country's dismal high school and college completion rates.

Freedom Watch Ads Challenged by NM Democrats

Ahead of Thursday night's debate the Democratic Party of New Mexico and Chairman Brian S. Colón, Chairman filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against the New Mexico Republican Party, Freedom's Watch and Candidate for Congress, Sheriff Darren White. They say a Republican group, Freedom's Watch, is violating Federal Election laws and is coordinating its efforts with White's campaigns to produce and buy television ads, which is prohibited.

The parties statement said released by Conchita Cruz for the parties Executive Director Josh Geise said:

The Democratic Party of New Mexico believes that the attack ads coming from Freedom's Watch and the New Mexico Republican Party share more than just similarities. Both of these ads share the same photographs of Martin Heinrich and were produced by the firm Stevens, Reed, Curcio and Potholm, the same firm that produced the 2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth commercials.

The actions of the New Mexico Republican Party and Darren White are illegal and reckless. Does Sheriff Darren White think he is above the law? We call on Darren White to demand that Freedom's Watch stop airing their ads and cease this illegal activity on behalf of his campaign.

This is not the first time Freedom's Watch has been implicated in this type of scandal. In April 2008, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee charged that, in a special election for Congress in Louisiana, Freedom's Watch was running a television advertisement with a script that came from the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is illegal. Freedom's Watch is run and supported by several former officials of the Bush Administration.