Jack & Jill Politics

Are you guys catching the latest news? McCain is getting hammered about claiming that the surge was what caused the Sunni Awakening in Anbar Province - even thought the Awakening began 6 months before the surge began. Not only that, Keith Olbermann reported that for some strange reason the gaff was edited out of the Katie Couric interview and an answer to a different question was inserted in its place.

McCain is also getting blazed by - I kid you not - JOE KLEIN about claiming Obama would rather win an election than win a war.

Keith Olbermann
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#25805843

Joe Klein
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/07/mcca...

JedReport Shows the raw interview in split screen with what CBS aired:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDIAsS9VXiM&eurl...

Obama's great-uncle recalls liberating Nazi camp By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 9 minutes ago



CHICAGO - Charles T. Payne was 20 years old and, like any good Midwesterner, he knew how to listen.

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He was making conversation, in pieced-together English and German, with a freed prisoner of Ohrdruf, the Nazi work camp Payne's infantry division had just liberated at the end of World War II.

"With great difficulty we conversed and, if I got what it was he was telling me about, it was that the Germans had killed a million Jews and that the world didn't really know this yet," Payne, 83, told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday as, on the other side of the world, his great-nephew, Barack Obama, prepared to visit the Yad Vashem national Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

Helping liberate Ohrdruf, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp, in April 1945 was Payne's first close brush with history.

He is enjoying, for the most part, a second brush as the great-uncle of the Democratic presidential candidate.

In May, Obama mentioned "Uncle Charlie" at a meeting with veterans but mistakenly said Payne had helped liberate Auschwitz, when he should have said Buchenwald. Bloggers seized on the error and the Republican Party demanded an explanation.

Obama's campaign corrected the mistake the next day. Soviet forces liberated Auschwitz as they marched across Poland in January 1945.

Payne, with an Obama button pinned to his shirt, told the AP he was "truly astonished" by the attention paid to Obama's flub. The brother of Obama's maternal grandmother, Payne figures Obama heard the story wrong from his grandparents, "whose grasp of geography wasn't always the firmest." He said at the time he asked friends if he should "try to set the record straight," but that they advised him to ignore it.

Payne said he didn't want to say anything to embarrass the Obama campaign and minimized his role in the liberation of Ohrdruf.

"I have no heroic story to tell," he said. "I was just there."

He had seen plenty of death during his two years in the Army, but the cruelty of what he witnessed at Ohrdruf appalled him. In the courtyard, he saw lying dead "a circle of the inmates in their rags, and you could see they were mostly near starvation. They were there with their tin cups like they were called to get food, then had been machine gunned."

In a shed, he saw bodies stacked like cord wood. The survivors, many near starvation, were "nothing but just skin over bones with nothing, no flesh at all." He said the 1993 movie "Schindler's List" was "very good, but it didn't begin to show the desperate plight of the prisoners. I guess in real life you can't really starve people next to death in order to make a movie."

During the war, home was Augusta, a small town in central Kansas. Payne had enlisted in 1943 along with most of his high school graduating class. He served in a mortar squad, then a communications squad rigging telephone lines.

After the war, Payne went to college in Kansas on the GI Bill and then to graduate school at the University of Chicago, where Obama would later lecture on constitutional law. He later became interested in computers and how they could be used in libraries. He retired at age 70 as assistant director of the University of Chicago's library.

Payne is proud of his great-nephew, who is prominently displayed in family photos.

"He's truly an astounding young man and always has been," he said.

As attention turns to the Holocaust with Obama's expected visit to the Israeli memorial on Wednesday, Payne reflected on the lessons of history.

"Clearly to me it's proof that there's no limit to what a man will do to man and what government out of control will do," he said. "I guess we need to be on our guard eternally."

More on the taser death story. The man was probably dead the last two times he was tasered:

Ex-cop may be charged in case of man Tasered to deathStory Highlights
Suspect died after police officer Tasered him nine times; investigation launched

Coroner rules death homicide, says man might've been dead after seventh shock

Family outraged it has taken months for any action: "The family wants justice"

Prosecutor is expected to decide soon whether to file charges

Next Article in Crime »


Read VIDEO INTERACTIVE
From Drew Griffin and David Fitzpatrick
CNN


WINNFIELD, Louisiana (CNN) -- A police officer shocked a handcuffed Baron "Scooter" Pikes nine times with a Taser after arresting him on a cocaine charge.


Baron Pikes, 21, was Tasered nine times by a police officer in January in Winnfield, Louisiana.

1 of 2 He stopped twitching after seven, according to a coroner's report. Soon afterward, Pikes was dead.

Now the officer, since fired, could end up facing criminal charges in Pikes' January death after medical examiners ruled it a homicide.

Dr. Randolph Williams, the Winn Parish coroner, told CNN the 21-year-old sawmill worker was jolted so many times by the 50,000-volt Taser that he might have been dead before the last two shocks were delivered.

Williams ruled Pikes' death a homicide in June after extensive study.

Winn Parish District Attorney Christopher Nevils said he will decide on any charges against the ex-officer, Scott Nugent, once a Louisiana State Police report on the case is complete. Watch coroner describe how cop might've Tasered a dead man »

"It's taken several months for this case to even be properly addressed, so one has to wonder, why did it take so long?" said Carol Powell Lexing, a lawyer for the Pikes family. "Obviously, a wrongful death occurred."

Nugent's lawyer, Phillip Terrell, said his client followed proper procedure to subdue a man who outweighed him by 100 pounds. But Williams said Pikes was already handcuffed and on the ground when first hit with the Taser, after the 247-pound suspect was slow to follow police orders to get up.

Winnfield, a sleepy lumber town about 100 miles southeast of Shreveport, Louisiana, is best known as the birthplace of legendary Louisiana governors Huey and Earl Long. It's also about 45 miles northwest of Jena, Louisiana, where a racially charged assault case sparked a September 2007 demonstration by an estimated 15,000 people.

One of the teenage defendants in that case, Mychal Bell, is Pikes' first cousin -- and his lawyer was Powell Lexing.


Taser death
Anderson Cooper reports on possible charges in the death of a suspect Tasered nine times by police.
Tonight, 10 ET

see full schedule »
Nugent is white; Pikes was black. His death led to demonstrations that drew several dozen people in Winnfield, where the population of about 15,000 is roughly half African-American.

"The family wants justice," Lexing said. "This is just another example of why it's very important to stay vigilant with these types of cases, on the injustice that's been perpetrated on the disadvantaged."

But Winnfield police Lt. Chuck Curry said race "isn't an issue at all" in the matter.

"This has come down to a police officer that was trying to apprehend a suspect that they had warrants for," he said. "He done what he thought he was trained to do to bring that subject into custody. At some point, something happened with his body that caused him to go into cardiac arrest or whatever." See how Tasers work »

According to police, Pikes was wanted on a charge of possession of cocaine when police tried to arrest him outside a shopping center January 12.

"He would not stop for the officer," Curry said. "At some point in there, he was Tased to bring him under control, and several hours later, died at the emergency room."

Terrell said Pikes was fighting Nugent "on uneven ground" amid obstructions such as concrete blocks and barbed wire.

"He's fighting, wrestling with an individual who weighs 100 pounds more than him," he said. "His partner had just come back to the police department from triple bypass surgery and could not assist Officer Nugent."

Terrell said his client "used every means possible" to take Pikes into custody before pulling out his Taser, a weapon Winnfield police purchased in 2007.

"The only thing he could have done other than to say, 'OK, we're going to let you go' is to beat him or Tase him. He did the right thing," Terrell said.

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Williams, who ruled Pikes' death a homicide in June after extensive study, said Nugent fired his Taser at Pikes six times in less than three minutes -- shots recorded by a computer chip in the weapon's handle. Then officers put Pikes in the back of a cruiser and drove him to their police station -- where Nugent fired a seventh shot, directly against Pikes' chest.

"After he was given that drive stun to the chest, he was pulled out of the car onto the concrete, " Williams told CNN. "He was electroshocked two more times, which two officers noted that he had no neuromuscular response to those last two 50,000-volt electroshocks."

Williams said he had two nationally known forensic pathologists, including former New York city medical examiner Michael Baden, review the case before issuing his conclusions. He said it's possible Nugent was shocking a dead man the last two times he pulled the trigger.

"This fellow was talking in the back seat of the car prior to shot number seven," he said. "From that point on, it becomes questionable [if Pikes was still alive]."

Curry said Pikes told officers he suffered from asthma and had been using PCP and crack cocaine. But Williams said he found no sign of drug use in the autopsy, and no record of asthma in Pikes' medical history.

In the year since Winnfield police received Tasers, officers have used them 14 times, according to police records -- with 12 of the instances involving black suspects. Ten of the 14 incidents involved Nugent, who has no public disciplinary record.

Nugent was suspended after Pikes' death, and Winnfield's City Council voted 3-2 to fire him in May. He is appealing his dismissal, and his lawyer says he followed proper procedures in Pikes' case. He was trained in the use of the Taser by a senior police officer who was present during the incident that led to Pikes' death, Terrell said.

Curry said Taser International, the device's manufacturer, indicates that "multiple Tasings do not affect a person." But he said he could not explain why Pikes was shocked so many times, and said whether Nugent followed proper procedure was "yet to be determined."

But a copy of the Winnfield Police Department's Taser training manual, obtained by CNN, says the device "shall only be deployed in circumstances where it is deemed reasonably necessary to control a dangerous or violent subject." And Williams said regulations regarding the use of Tasers were not followed.

"It violated every aspect -- every single aspect -- of the department's policy about its use," the coroner said.

Winnfield has seen a spate of high-profile corruption cases in recent years. One of Nevils' predecessors as district attorney, Terry Reeves, killed himself amid allegations of embezzlement and extortion. The town's current police chief, Johnny Ray Carpenter, is a convicted drug offender who received a pardon from former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards who himself is now serving a federal prison term for racketeering.

And Carpenter's predecessor, Gleason Nugent -- the father of Pikes' arresting officer -- committed suicide in 2005, after allegations of fraud and vote buying in the race for police chief, an elected position in Winnfield.


Now Nevils is awaiting the state police report on Pikes' death, which will be presented to a grand jury for possible charges against Nugent -- a possibility Curry said would be a blow to the department.

"It's one of these no-win situations," he said. "No matter the outcome, nobody's going to win in this case."

David Gergen is charging McCain's gaffes to his age.

msmartin: I dont' know what's goin' on with david. He appears to be morphing right befor our eyes. I guess I haven't seen him in a week, BUT he's developing ATTITUDE against Mr. Obama; and I ain't likin' it one bit!!!
Further, if it is his age, then "whycome" he would want "mcANCIENT" to pretend to be the prez?? I know. It's the "OLD WHITE BOY'S CLUB SYNDROME"!!

Gergen did work for the Billary.....

Sepia: AHA!!!!!! You see what DATA reveals!!! WOW! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH for this little TIDBIT of information! Actually, it's HUGE and EXPLAINS his behavior - a latent "HATER". Now I will watch him through "HATIN' LENS".
Again, thank you for sharing.

They are picking McCain's ass apart on Anderson 360 - it's about time.

msmartin: YEP!!

JedReport's Latest Devastating Video: "McCain's Neverending War"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/22/jedrep...

LOL,

Larry King is a barrel of laughs tonight....Joy Behar fills in for Larry. Guests are firing on all barrels so far.

Ok Truth,

I changed the channel to Larry. And Elisabeth calls in. And she HAD to say, "yes, I was watching Hannity & Colmes, but I wanted to tune in and call you....

Oh bite me Elisabeth!

She's angling for her next job, probably. Did you see how she gushed to them when she appeared after Michelle came on the View?

Yes. And turned into a different person once she was there.

Whoopi has called in to say the N word has a different meaning when blacks folks use it. I am so embarrassed.

Blacks using the "N" word embarrasses me too. But, I think Joy said it best in that it wasn't her business - as a white person - what black people call each other. I'd feel like a fool to start lecturing Italians or Jews about a racial epitaph they call themselves. It's part of EH's arrogance and entitlement that she thinks she has the right to dictate.

Fran picked up on Elisabeth's manipulativeness by calling attention to how absurd it was for her to be crying. Fran said pointedly to Elisabeth, that there were 2 AA's on the panel who needed to be heard... or defered to on this subject. What was inferred, is that the tears prevented them from being heard.

Now, I'm no big fan of Fran and her pushing for Hillary...but I thought she was quick here.

Whoopi mentioned that her own mother could not vote, which is when the tears started... somehow Elisabeth is the one most upset?

Elisabeth was on the panel with 2 black people talking about the "N" word and she was the one weeping. Let's all drop everything, and comfort her sorrows.

There is always an effort to deny blacks their "day in court" so to speak. Barack is a phenomenon, but let's complain when the media rightfully points that out. Lets deny blacks their due in pride and praise. He's destroyed the Clinton machine?....shhhh, we don't want to offend the Clinton's. You're telling a story about experiencing racism?...let's drown out your story by crying sexism...or call you a victim...or irresponsible. It's slyness, MsMartin. It's the wife-beater's refrain.

It doesn't matter so much what we're saying...it's our very ability to speak, they wish to take away.

I really don't care about Elisabeth - I know who she is. I care more about us using the very name that was created to demean us in the most dispicable way imaginable - how could they.

I don't understand how some can be so ignorant that in the same breath that they say things are unequal, also say I can call myself a nigger if I want to.

I am not a nigger. It is not okay to call me a nigger. Nobdody can call me a nigger, I am not okay with that and I resent Whoopi and others for saying it's okay. I don't want to be seen as someone who says that nigger is okay for any reason.

Let's put it this way - it ain't a term of endearment, even when used by us black folk.

Nobody can call me a nigger

Well, I can't argue with that!

Oh, mercy. Here comes Tara Wall on Dan Abrams show.

craig: I was away, but I have to chime in re Tara "I am such a white girl in Black skin who wants to stay as far away from the Obama's as I can so nobody will accuse me of being 'one of them' Wall.
A close second is the Rev. Joe "I'm articulate so I can speak against Mr. Obama and distance myself from him 'cause I have a following" Watkins.
Whew! (deep breaths!)

I came here to see if anybody was watching...

Is she serious?

What she is is dishonest. Painfully dishonest. As are many Black conservatives. Which is too bad. There's no need for dishonesty, really.

I actually consider myself quite conservative when it comes to many issues, including foreign policy. I don't find neo-cons conservative at all, really.

But because neo-cons hijacked conservatism, many conservatives think they have to parrot the neo-cons in order to keep their conservative credentials.

Such a lack of integrity engenders so much intellectual dishonesty, I can hardly even look at conservatives like Ms. Wall.

I rarely watch Dan and tonight I was going to mute it. But nooooooooo I continue to work on my laptop when I heard ole' girl start in on Obama about Patreaus and media coverage.

The funny thing, when she started distorting O's words, Wes and Katherine jumped in to say...."that's not what he said. So yes Craig...they lie! LIE LIE LIE!

And then Dan said he was going to let her have the last word. I'm thinking WTF, why?

She said that McCain didn't get this type of media coverage when he traveled to Iraq. Well, shit....he told them "no!"

It's not O's fault 200+ reporters wanted to travel along.

Oh and one more thing. She brought up the line regarding O's Israel comment...We all know what he meant to say. But McWhat's his name tries to re-write history.

So really folks....was she serious?

At least Dan showed the montage of McCain's flubs. I seem to only find those things on JJP or other honest news outlets. Won't see it on ABC, CBS, etc.

Anderson Cooper just led with McCain's FuggUp...McCain better be careful...he's still "Presumptive"...if he keeps this shyt up, I promise you that there's going to be a Coup De'Tat at the Republican National Convention...

No need for a coup - Romney is the VP choice, and that's all the moneymen care about.

Anderson Cooper talked about the McCain gaffe during the Couric interview.

Yeah, that actually shut her up for a hot minute. But not long enough.

With her round the way girl necklace on that was odd to see

The whole thing is hilarious to me. McCain tried to put Obama on front about Iraq and then he tried to make it appear as though he made him go. And, now........he wants to whine because O is looking presidential and his shit's falling apart. Does McCain really think people don't see this for what it is?

Like the Republican associate said: They're fucked!

which is why I just think she's a flunky. a simple flunky.

Anytime someone from the Washington Times come on they should be ask do they believe what their owner believes.
http://www.geoffmetcalf.com/wwwboard/messages/4...

How can Tara talk about the MSM's love affair with Obama, while CBS is editing McCain's mistakes? Sometimes I feel like I'm in an episode of Twilight Zone.

Doo...doo doo..doo Doo...doo doo..doo
You have now entered a new dimension...

E&F: Good one!!!!! :>) :>) :>)

This whole damn cycle has been the twilight zone.

Unfortunately, yes.

The constant references to Obama being "cocky", "arrogant", "too cute for half", etc. have grated my last nerves.

But what is really getting under my skin now, is the media's constant theme of "is Obama getting more coverage", particularly with his recent overseas trip. The refrain suggests that this should be attributed to Obama. As if he can help being charismatic, lol.
Just like Clinton, now McCain is whining about so called media bias. I have yet to hear the media acknowledge THEY are the ones riding Obama's jock. Somehow the media fails to acknowledge they hold the power. Corporate media has dictated that coverage overwhelmingly be about Obama.

Andrea Mitchell and the so called media superstars all jockeyed to be in his midst. If I had to guess, I would venture to say MOST (sorry Greenlady, no stats to back up my feeling, lol) of the coverage has not been positive. I certainly agree with whatever pundit suggested this is a referendum on Obama. Obama is still a credible threat in spite of the negagtive coverage, attacks on his family, magazines attempts at "satire".

So although let's say, Pat Buchanan may spend most of his time of Scarborouh talking about Obama, the talking points usually go something like this.
1. What's wrong with Barack Obama (insert whatever here, he is only 4% ahead of McCain, he can't win Appalachia voters, etc).
2. Something about Jeremiah Wrigh, Bill Ayers (yes still, I guarantee Buchanan manages to sneak it in)

And yet they are still enthralled with him. McSane (aka McAncient aka McSame) is simply boring. Actually, McSane should be happy the media is not focusing on him. Then maybe they would be forced to report on his repeated gaffes, the GOP's inabliity to clearly articulate an Iraq strategy, and what constitutes winning "my friends". Maybe, some would actually question why automatically being a POW, graduating at the very BOTTOM of your class qualifies you for being POTUS. Why does this makes one a "foreign policy expert"? It might make you an expert at actual combat, but foreign policy it does not.

Honey01: Not a problem! :>) :>) I'm wichu [eh hem- with you]. :>) :>)
Thanks for resurrecting Andrea "I am so jacked that Mr. Obama won't let ME in on every iota of his trip!" Mitchell. Now I offered her a WING SEAT on Mr. Obama's BRAND NEW TRICKED OUT AIRCRAFT!! Her choice! Sit inside and SHUT UP or grab a WING SEAT and talk your head off!
Righteous post!! :>)

Damn, there's Sheila Jackson Lee again on a CNN clip about the "Terror Watch List", looking....what's that term....."a hot mess?

Well, at least she's got her pearls on.

All these fricken concern troll pundits...

Oh, Obama's in a tricky position....Oh these large European crowds are not good for Obama...Oh, he's got his logo on the plane....Oh, he's looking TOO Presidential ...worry, worry, worry, fret, worry.

Hillary Rosen is having an outstanding appearance on Campbell Brown's show tonight.:

Paraphrasing:
John McCain says he knows how to win wars...but oh wait, I gotta start one first.

Check it out if you're so inclined.

She sure is. She is handling business - maybe the best response regarding McCain/Iraq thus far.

Breaking: McCain asserts that the surge began BEFORE the Sunni awakening.

So now he's re-writing history/making stuff up because he's getting kicked.

Is there any lie he won't tell?

What will the MSM do with this gaffe?

Absolutely nothing. They will continue to help McCain fight Obama. I think I heard a reporter covering Iraq say tonight that Iraq calmed because the insurgents quit fighting. Well...... we all know why that happened.

Turns out Couric and CBS scrubbed the interview of the mistake, which is only available in the transcript.

Of course they did, they don't want to embarras their candidate.

Keith Olbermann led his newscast on this gaffe and in so many words called McCain a liar

dj: KO calls out "mcancient" every time he breaths wrong! Good stuff! I've saved some of his rants on billary! :>) :>)

Well, well, Drudge has the info on John Edwards and his supposed Baby Mama

I always had a problem with this story because of WHO owns the National Enquirer - Hillpatine supporter and Bubba Business partner RON BURKLE.

It was always curious to me how, week after week, there was some story about Edwards, then Obama in The Enquirer, but NOTHING about Hillpatine.

So, while I'm not saying this isn't true, let's just say I have the tinfoil hat on, and could this be related to THIS TIME STORY ON POSSIBLE OBAMA RUNNING MATES.

Just wondering out loud.

It would be much more believable had they alleged he had a...

Nevermind.

*BREAKING* - 'Men at Work' signs are Sexist - All “Men at Work” road signs in a US city are to be repainted, after complaints they that discriminate against female construction staff. Atlanta, Georgia...they have a point, and I needed a smile to share.

Has anybody been watching the cable news network to see if they are saying that Obama is wrong to say that Maliki agrees with him.

No, but I've noticed that they have been saying that he should be listening and not discussing policy on this tour, and that he's been acting as if he's the president. Andrea Mitchell used the word "cocky".

first cousin to UPPITY

I heard someone say this morning that David Gergen said Obama is negotiating like a president and shouldn't be.

Gergen said so last night on Anderson 360.

Did he? Do tell.
Gergen is about the only one I can tolerate on CNN now. I am not sure how much Roland is on these days, and I don't believe I have seen Donna Brazile once she declared.

Andrea Mitchell has me rolling though these last few days.

Honey01: Did Donna Brazile endorse Mr. Obama?? I have been visiting her web page recently. She's been all about supporting him - recently.

Roland's been on vacation for the past 2 weeks. A cruise, and now he's in Africa.

He said he thought it was the only mistake so far, because there's only one President at a time, and he shouldn't step on the current President's authority...paraphrasing.

Haven't seen it.

But Andrea Mitchell is wretched.

craig: Big YEP!!! Feels dissed 'cause she's not in the press inner circle. ANNNNNNNNND!!!!?? Maybe Mr. Obama cain't TRUST you! Ya think! :>)

Barack should leave her behind on the tarmac.

She's not traveling with him.

That's even more yummy...she's following him all over the Middle East and can't get a scoop.

truth: It must be hard when the Black candidate tells you that "you ain't worthy"!! And you've been believin' that you were all your life! :>) :>) :>) :>) boo-yah!!! 3 points!!!!

LOL....I SO agree.

Another good Youtube with Barack/Michelle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdFLJXkG0_w&feat...

NYTimes story about Alabama and some southern states purging votes. Will those who are being registered get kicked off just in time to help McCain?

Under gossip - Christian Bale (Batman) was arrested. His mother and sister turned him in to the cops!

rikyrah: Ooooooo! Do ya think it will cause him to miss a Red Carpet event? :>) :>)

they did it AFTER the London Premiere. ..Don't know about any other premieres, but I'm sure the Studios have lawyers in London working on getting him out as we speak.

You know it! :>) Oh well - Batman needs to cut the bat guano! :>) :>)


p.s.: I'm so happy that my points are now at -(negative) 4. Better than that -15! :>) :>)
Teacha is a happy camper! :>) :>) :>)

Did anyone see Harold Ford, Jr. aka "Dark Sith" on Morning Joe this morning. As he commented on an article that supposedly included Zbigniew Brzezinski criticizing Obama, he was trying his best to contain his smirk. Funny thing is that he never went into what Brzezinski said.

Like I said, he's a SNAKE.

rikyrah: SSSSSSSSSSSSnake continues to slither. And I wrote him an e-mail about how he acts. Then he turned CRICKET***********:>) :>)

Sepia: Is there some "re-run" of this? I so don't know the technology to be able to see it again. Can anyone he'p a sista out? :>) :>) Thanks. :>) :>)

McCain's Got 99 Problems
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-grahamesmith...

Someone sent me this wonderful Barack/Michelle Youtube Video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPYMaF2vAmg

Why McCain and Bush Cannot Recognize Victory
http://remmet.com/2008/07/22/why-mccain-and-bus...

Welfare for the rich.Love how that "Free Market" works for the well to do
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/econ...

Israel is a strong friend of Israel's"…Obama is breaking all Gaffe Records - meaning the ones he has already set – on his trip it the Middle East. "Well let me be absolutely clear. Israel is a strong friend of Israel's," he declared. "It will be a strong friend of Israel's under a McCain administration. It will be a strong friend of Israel's under an Obama administration. So that policy isn't going to change."

We are also seeing why he doesn’t have much of a record in the state or fed senates – he is afraid to take a stance, and then have it on record. Lots of “Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh” and “Ummmmmm” moments also, when asked questions…very indecisive. All will look good on YouTube soon…

a gaffe would be ' We are pleased that our 51st state, Israel'...

Oh, I'm sorry. A gaffe is suposed to be untrue.

uummm...Obama does think that there are "57" states. Anyway, Obama saying - "Well let me be absolutely clear. Israel is a strong friend of Israel's" sure isn't very clear...perhaps you are right, and it wasn't a gaffe. Obama probably couldn't think of any friends of Israel, so he figured that Israel must be its own friend.

Keep reaching, you can almost touch heaven.

He obviously misspoke and meant, "The US is a strong friend of Israel's . . ."

At least he knows the difference between Shiites and Sunnis, Somalia and Sudan, that there is no more Czechoslovakia, how to use basic modern tools like Blackberrys and computers, how to do "a google," basic economic theory (and how to use those to create sound policies), and graduated at the top of his class. ;)

say it, say it

then do it all over again...

Reachin again I see.

Obama continues to outraise McCain 2-to-1 in West Virginia; his donors outnumber McCain's 4-to-1.

Link

Wow. In WV?

The mind reels.

Shyt must be hitting the fan for them to wake up.

State GOP Chairman Doug McKinney has been fairly disdainful of the McCain campaign's efforts in the state. McCain also finished a distant third among the GOP caucus, but since Romney didn't go above 50 percent there was a runoff. The McCain and Paul people through in with Huckabee just to defeat Romney. With so many evangelicals in the state, I personally would have preferred facing Romney here. That decided the majority of the GOP delegates. At the primary, McCain was the only nominee still in the field and still only got 76 percent of the vote. I don't know if we can win here or not but as long as we make McCain have to keep spending resources and time here to win the state, that's money and time he's not spending in Virginia, Ohio, Pa., etc.

carnacki: Cha-ching!!!!! :>) "mcancient" will never learn! :>)

John McCain lies again
A Full Tank of Nonsense
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/factcheckorg/a-fu...

Hey,
Want a free Obama button? MoveOn's giving them away totally free--no string's attached. I just got mine, and wanted to share the opportunity with you.
Click this link to get a free Obama button:
http://pol.moveon.org/obamabuttons/?id=-7009787...
Thanks!

dj: Thanks!

From Politico.com

McCain's complaints (about the media being biased towards Obama)

Jake Tapper (ABC) responds:


This is like Britney Spears complaining that the hype around Miley Cyrus far exceeds her talent.

rikyrah: Thanks for digging up the laff for my morning laff. :>) :>)

Wash Post on Obama in Jordan: "He looked and sounded presidential"

Damn skippy he sounded PRESIDENTIAL!

rikyrah: He sounded like HE IS! I'm just waiting for NOV 4 to make it OFFICIAL!! WEEEEEE! :>)

I've got 2 things to address this morning: 1. Recent survey among Jews on LIEberman vs Mr. Obama; 2. "billary Watch" information
Re: #1. "Obama Far More Popular Among Jews Than LIEberman"

www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/22/obama-far-mor...

"Among the most high profile Jews in Congress, LIEberman is viewed far more UNFAVORABLE than the presumptive Democratic nominee according to a new poll."

Re #2: "An Outrageous Attempt by the Bush Administration to Undermine Woman's Rights"
www.huffingtonpost.com/hillary-clinton/an-outra...

billary said: "We can't let them get away with this underhanded move to undermine women's health and that's why I AM SOUNDING THE ALARM."
She also reference HER web site - Hill Pac- of which she is Honorary Chairman. This site is dedicated to electing candidates.
My question, among many, is "whycome" she's out making DAILY posts about HER activities in the SENATE. They are on WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES. In my humble opinion, this is called continuing pandering/campaigning to women! Was she told to do this by Mr. Obama? I THINK NOT! This is taking away from her PARTY UNIFICATION campaigning to continue to compaign for HERSELF.
Therefore, I will continue my "BILLARY WATCH!" (Deep breaths!) :>) :>)

McCain gaffes pile up; critics pile on

Yeah, right.

MsKitty: Great post!!! OOOOOOO-eeeeeeeee on that cover!!! :>) :>) :>)
Thanks for sharing!!! :>)

Couric: Sexism more common than racism.
Yes, she would know that since she's suffered so much racism in her life.

Heh heh....

and how much does poor, oppressed Katie make exactly?

taritac: Seeee. This is why I have a problem with people making statements that inferentially CRY OUT for STATISTICAL PROOF/support! If challenged, she could NEVER come up with any data that would in any way support her statement!!
So, just as a "tit for tat" [whew - no pun intended. :>) ] with her statement, I know that when I walk into a room, people see BLACK first!! If gender becomes an issue, which in my experience - it rarely has, it is sooo a secondary issue!
Co-signing on your statememt!!!!

you just summed up the lunacy of her remarks.

Tavis is still tripping on Obama...and just doesn't seem to get it that if he was even handed in his "critiques" maybe folks would pay him more attention. But you can't give Clinton, McCain, Edwards, Paul, Barr, et al, a free pass and then demand that Barack justify himself to you. Either they all have to justify themselves to you or none do.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/21/tavis-...

"There is no such thing in America as race transcendence, and Obama's going to find that out real soon," says Smiley, leaning into his words."


What Tavis Smiley really meant to say...

"Dat black gum n*gga ain't all that, and he gon' find that out real soon," says Smiley, leaning into his words.

I don't know if he noticed, but Barack is ignoring him. How can you hold someone accountable when they don't know you exist?

I listen to Tavis on the radio now and then, but his show lost a lot of credibility with me when it was being underwritten by Countryside Financial, which exploited the black community pretty badly with subprime loans.

anderkoo: Nice investigative work! :>) :>)

Smiley says. "I'm an advocacy journalist.....

Yeah, he advocates for his own wealth and career.

I agree with Tavis that Obama shouldn't get a free pass-- he should be held accountable just like other politicians. But it really sounds like sour grapes with Tavis. He seems never to have anything positive to say about Obama. As mad at Obama as I've been, I will readily acknowledge when he's handling his business. Tavis sounds like a broken record. What in the hell does he mean about Obama finding out about "race transcendence?" Obama is no fool. I am sure he recognizes the racism that has come his way during this campaign, but he sure as hell understands that crying "racism," even when it's true, only shuts white people's ears off.

You hit the nail on the head!

taritac,

you just nailed it for me.

What in the hell does he mean about Obama finding out about "race transcendence?"

See, THIS is why Tavis no longer has any credibility.

Is he actually trying to say that Obama has NOT been subject to whole swaths of RACISM during this campaign?

See. Tavis is trying to pretend that the racebaiting that happened to Obama during the NOMINATING SEASON DIDN'T HAPPEN.

Cause, see, he's NEVER answered for his SILENCE.

You know, I think this might deserve a main post. I have to think about it some more.

As far as I'm concerned, Roland Martin took Tavis' spot a while ago. Tavis talks about accountability but didn't do a thing to hold Clinton "accountable" when he interviewed her at his SOTBU.

Sounds like HNIC syndrome. It's almost as if people like Tavis WANT Obama to fail just so they can say "I told you so."

B-Serious: ABSOLUTELY!! Co-signing BIG TIME!
He needs a name - "Smile -'n' - Stab"! O.K. I know that the "Ojays beat me to it by a quarter of a century. But, I'm just doing a "re-mix", unless there is a copyright violation. :>) :>) :>)

I've stated before my problems with Tavis. It's STILL sounding PERSONAL for Tavis. And, he's STILL sounding condescending. Don't trust Tavis anymore. His SILENCE as Obama was being racebaited from one end of this country to another says it all where Tavis is concerned (for me). I'll accept the constructive, and sometimes BRU-TAL criticism of Obama from Black Commentator and Black Agenda Report. I might be proven wrong in the future, but I believe they come from a vantage point of ideological differences with Obama. I don't believe they're doing it FOR someone else. Which is the difference between a true critic, and a 'hater' like Tavis and all the rest of them who have been exposed during Obama's run.

rikyrah: And you'll see his picture[and others] PROMINENTLY DISPLAYED on Blacks4Barack's "HATER WATCH" list. They don't seem to mind, 'cause you don't hear any rebuttals from them! Those that have been removed, eventually, saw the ERROR of their ways! Or, got embarrased! :>) :>)

taritac: CO-SIGNING!

Crabby McCrab is back.

Morediva: Just posted this in another place. :>) :>) So we're on the "Smiley Watch"! :>) :>)
Co-signing!

From the Orange Empire:

Chris Matthews endorses Obama.

LOL @ the Orange Empire.

So does Harold Ford - and? With 'friends' like these who needs enemies?

tell me about it. I could do a better job of defending Obama than the Dark Sith. Of course, he doesn't really want to defend Obama, we all know that.

Hey Blksista,

That's from last night's Nightline. Was that the link you wanted to post?

That was from Leno last night.

Love it, love it, love it:
Middle Eastern and European leaders are lining up to hear what Barack Obama has to say on his seven- country tour this week.
I bet McCain is choking on his prune juice. He challenged Obama on his foreign policy abilities and credentials, and Barack stepped to him for real.

Lovely.

For those going to see Obama in Berlin, don't bring signs.

Hi D. Wassup! I looked at the links and the article was in german. I couldn't translate. Regarding the guidelines not to bring bags etc. That is a security thing. Obama's security team does that at all the venues -- recommend you don't bring bags etc. What was it I was supposed to see in this article? I don't get it.

Nothing......was just one of those odd, random things that I found online.

I understand not brining bags-did the security gig in a past life-but signs?

The night before the NH primaries they were confiscating all signs -- even official ones -- at the door. I was stupid enough to let them take mine. They're trying to control the message: just one sign that says something bad can really screw things up -- leave it and it's part of the record, remove it and you get an altercation.

How much do you think the stage handlers regret putting that bored or sad white dude behind Obama for his NH "Yes we can" speech? Even will.i.am can't get rid of that guy.

Is anyone planning to watch CNN's "Black in America"?
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/black.in.america/

I have to say I have equal parts fear and hope on this. Fear because yet again a media company will attempt to define an entire group of people as if we are one big monolith, thinking and acting one way. I fear that it will not capture all the nuances of blackness that exists in America. Also, who is this show for, exactly? Who do they think will watch? Will this help or hurt white America's understanding of Black America? Does White America even care? All these questions are on my mind and I fear that I won't get the answers I want or need.

It's going to be one-sided and not accurately reflect our lives today. Or based on what was aired this weekend, focus more on Black men and have too many Civil Rights Industrial Complex supporters claiming to speak for all Black people.

H&F: Jumpin' in 2. Not going to pass this up without a BIG-CO-SIGN!!! :>) :>)

You got me with the Civil Rights Industrial Complex. damn that's hot. I may have to use it. Did you make it up?

"Civil Rights Industrial Complex" -- love it!

Some Florida Dems miffed by who runs Obama's Latin outreach

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/104/story/44838.html

Good morning! Does anyone here read comic strips? There are only a handful of comics done by African-Americans -- since the demise of Boondocks, the Boston Globe only carries "Curtis" and "Jumpstart." Personally, I find "Curtis," which has been running for 20 years, really out of touch with culture and humor.

This month's plotline has me particularly unhappy: Curtis failed math last semester, so he's in summer school. If that isn't itself a harmful stereotype, I find the strip's portrayal of the Asian-American kid sitting in front of Curtis outright offensive:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/curtis.asp?da... (start of plot)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/curtis.asp?da... (gah!)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/curtis.asp?da... (are you serious?)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/curtis.asp?da... (Asian=nerd ; black = cool)

This is from a comic artist who insists on putting the term "rap" in quotes, presumably because he doesn't think it's a real genre or something.

Am I being oversensitive here?

I like "Watch your Head," it's about a black college student. I don't pay attention to "Curtis" and haven't in years. I like Jump Start, and I think "Herb & Jamaal" is by a black cartoonist as well.

I'll have to look into that one -- I guess I mostly follow what's in the Globe, which is "Curtis" and "Jumpstart." I rather like Jumpstart -- the cartoonist is kind of traditional, even conservative in his view of relationships, but on the other hand he's also got realistic characters and families.

"Herb & Jamaal" has always struck me as somewhere on par with "The Family Circus," but I feel bad saying that out loud.

I began reading this because of your comment.

I say, give it week.

Having the Asian Kid who actually flunked math is going against stereotype.

Curtis isn't 'cool' - WE know that. that someone else might think he is, is a boost to Curtis' ego, and I'm sure it'll be deflated.

I'm gonna give it a week before I pass any strong judgment.

It's been 2 weeks (with 1 week in between to hate on Pixar -- I think this is the only guy in the world who hates Wall-E)... I'm not holding out much hope here.

I just find his portrayal of the Asian kid pretty, um, chinky.

Of course, Curtis himself and his big lips eating buckets of chicken isn't knocking down any stereotype walls either.

Anderkoo: Thanks for this perspective. Hmmmmm. Back at-choo when I get through them.

Obama's on right now on cable - speaking in Jordan.

rikyrah: Got it! Thanks!

Marion Jones asks Pres. Bush to commute steroid sentence

Not bloody likely. So sad.

Jay: The sadness is that she did the deed! Not that she is the only athlete, BUT she jacked up her 4x4 team mates because all their gold metals were revoked. This is SAD!
Thanks for the post. :>)

I felt bad for her because she seemed to be ashamed of herself and to realize that she had disgraced her legacy and her family. But she only got 6 months. She needs to suck it up. I have a feeling that this was a case of her lawyers trying the kitchen sink strategy to keep her out of jail.