Senator John McCain (R-AZ) had a “Super” win on “Super Tuesday” last evening. The Southwest Senator emerged as the top dog in the GOP fight for delegates.

Big wins in California and New York widened the lead for McCain and left Governors Romney and Huckabee trying to regain any momentum they had.

The race on the Democratic side is not so cut and dry. Senators Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama split states and delegates throughout the night. With primaries in Ohio and Texas along with the Potomac States still to come, this fight is far from over.

For Super Tuesday results click here

President Bush released his Fiscal Year 2009 budget on Monday. This will be the last budget for the 43rd President of the United States. The $3.1 trillion budget includes sizable increases in military spending and protects the President’s well-known tax cuts.

Though the FY 09 budget is the highest in history, the Health and Human Services Department was cut by $2 billion, amounting to a 3 percent reduction

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) was not even given a cost of living increase, and this once again will hurt advancements in Medical Research.

The cure for cancer may be just across the bridge…too bad we don’t have enough to pay the toll.

If you would like to review the Health and Human Services (HHS) budget click here

In July 2006, we received an email to the C3 mailbox:

I am Rob Michelson, age 39. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with rectal cancer.

I am a proponent of clinical research. I am doing some investigatory work to educate myself about colorectal cancer advocacy and have come across the C3 website. I’d like to find out more about C3 and potentially, how I can add my voice to the advocacy and support programs.

Sadly, that voice was silenced on Tuesday night. Robert Michelson passed away at the age of 40, leaving behind his wife Margherita and 3 young sons.

Since that initial email of introduction, Rob actively touched every corner of C3′s work on behalf of the colorectal cancer community. He threw himself full force into the fight. Many of our advocates focus their attention solely on changing policy, some focus on pushing research. Rob did it all.

He served on the C3 grassroots advisory committee, which steers the work that we do with our advocates. He attended our 2007 Call-on Congress and was one of the planners for our 2008 event. Rob was the kind of constituent that makes Members of Congress nervous: smart as a whip, passionate about the cause and completely unafraid to push for more. He also participated in our Research Advocacy Program and was the patient representative on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), which oversees colorectal cancer clinical trails in the US. The photo on the right was taken at our 2007 training in Orlando, Florida.

He was one of the champions for the C3 Lisa Fund, which raises money to go directly to a researcher looking into cures and treatments for late stage colorectal cancer. In fact, he single-handedly raised thousands for the Lisa Fund through his direct appeals to his friends, family and co-workers.

He understood everything C3 was about, and he gave his time and heart passionately to our shared cause.

For the staff of C3, when we think of Rob, we hear bells. Stock market opening bells.

Rob is in the center of this picture.

Rob worked at the New York Stock Exchange. Last year, through his tenacity and passion, he pushed to get C3 invited to ring the Opening Bell the first Monday in March (Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month).

C3 President Carlea Bauman (to Rob’s left in picture above) remembers:

When we all piled onto the podium, I recall seeing groups of people looking up at us with huge smiles on their faces. I realized that they were all Rob’s friends who had come to watch him have his moment. And what a moment it was: the whole world heard about colorectal cancer that day and colorectal cancer patients saw one of their own broadcasting their plight and showing them that they weren’t alone.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Margherita, their sons, friends and family during this difficult time. We will carry his voice with us, and we will not give up the fight.

Please consider supporting our efforts in Rob’s honor.

Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Hilary Clinton (D-NY) held off their opponents in the fight for Florida last evening. McCain narrowly defeated his top adversary, Governor Mitt Romney to take the top spot in the Sunshine State. This win solidified the Senator from Arizona as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination.

Senator Clinton won the hearts of Floridians, but not their delegates. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) stripped the state of its delegates for a violation of primary scheduling rules. Because of the DNC ruling Senator Clinton moves no closer to the Democratic nomination.

Former Senator John Edwards (D-NC) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY) have both decided to pull out of the race for President of United States.

The countdown to Super Tuesday begins.

Remaining Primaries:

FEBRUARY 2008
• February 1: Maine (R)
• February 5: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado (caucuses), Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho (D), Illinois, Kansas (D), Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico (D), New York, North Dakota (caucuses), Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah
• February 9: Louisiana, Kansas (R)
• February 10: Maine (D caucuses)
• February 12: District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia
• February 19: Hawaii (D), Washington, Wisconsin

MARCH 2008
• March 4: Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont
• March 8: Wyoming (D)
• March 11: Mississippi

APRIL 2008
• April 22: Pennsylvania

MAY 2008
• May 6: Indiana, North Carolina
• May 13: Nebraska (primary), West Virginia
• May 20: Kentucky, Oregon
• May 27: Idaho (R)

JUNE 2008
• June 3: Montana, New Mexico (R), South Dakota

AUGUST 2008
• August 25-28: Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado

SEPTEMBER 2008
• September 1-4: Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota

President George W. Bush gave his seventh and final State of the Union on January 28, 2008. During his speech the President talked about a variety of topics such as the economy, the war in Iraq, the healthcare system and briefly touched on the advancements in medical research.

If you would like to read a transcript of his speech please click here.