Jack & Jill Politics

Who watched CNN's Revealed Profiles of McCain & Obama? I forgot and missed ole man's McCain's segment from 8-9:30pm.. Obama's segment is 9:30-11pm......

I tell you what, I don't care what anyone says, Obama was down in trenches BY CHOICE. He went into the gutter for the poor and forgotten....anyone saying he doesn't know the struggle can kick rocks.

Am I the only one who thinks all this negativity surrounding Obama, as well as the "tightening" polls are just moves to force Hillary unto the ticket? I mean, CNN is going back to the primary's map to show O's "inectability" with whte voters!

I'll remind folks once again-
a) Bubba complimented McAncient AGAIN this week
b) Her brother met with McAncient's campaign.

And he's supposed to choos that heifer?

HELL NO

You know I believe you

No, you're not the only one.

And if he doesn't chose her, it will make her diehards even harder.

Anthony: Hmmmmm? But, as I watched the Special on Barack, there were NUMEROUS statements of NEGATIVITY interspersed!

Now I wonder if the same thing occurred during "McAncient's" portion!?

Anyone see it??

Yep! I noticed the "He's arrogant" message being ran subliminally throughout his program.

yes. don't know why i bothered. what else is there to expect from cnn???

Miranda: I watched 10 min. of McAncient's. Then I got ill!! Watching Mr. Obama now! :>) :>) "Love it!" :>) :>)

GLH whats the dealio? You aren't going back to work? I'm in the salt mines trying to decide if I want to put the mark of the beast on my stapler so no one will steal it. The only problem is that the kids think it's the devil's stapler (lol) and might not want to use it.

Well, thank goodness O is finally stepping to the Cryptkeeper. I'm glad he is acting like he wants to win. O YOU NEED TO BRING IT. John
whats-his-name's map is practically all red. I'm kinda glad I have something very pressing going on so I can stop obsessing over politics.

Teacher: I may do some part-time work at a nearby university -supervising student teachers! :>) :>) Sorry. :>) :>) I officially R-E-T-I-R-E-D! Have to care for my mom[I'm doing this e'en as we speak]
Thinking of you and the "kids" with prayer! :>) :>)

GIV'EM EDUCATION!!! :>) :>)

You are one great daughter and mother. I was wondering why you weren't posting as much. Sending you and extra whiff of stength.

Lilytiger: "Extra whiff of strength" - well received WITH THANKS!!!

Mom experienced a "near miss" with heaven today, but all is better at this moment!! :>)

I needed your concern! :>) :>)

AGAIN, MUCH THANKS!!! :>) :>)

Watching Michelle and Barack speak about each other is a beautiful song.

It was. However John King has gone on far too long about McCranky. He presents himself as the war hero, but from what I've seen he's coming off as a coward.

John King insuated that after McCain's began cheating during his first marriage, it was time to move on then he talks about him meeting Cindy. He doesn't tell you McCain was moving on to Cindy. More lies!

Whenquestioned about the discrepancy between his account of when he took up with Cindy and what public records showed, he said that was thirty years ago.

Cindy McCain said she didn't know about his life or what he was thinking then. she said that all she knew was he wanted a good wife and mother.

I guess she's saying Carol wasn't a good wife and mother?

Safe to say Usain Bolt is the greatest sprinter I've ever seen. I never thought I'd see the world record in the 200m broken. He ran that race like a man on a mission. That's why I like to see. No showboating before the finish line.

Michael Johnson never should've said Bolt couldn't break his record.

And Bolt did it in a headwind on the straightaway.

It was an unbelievable race.

This post is directed at "s" and any other person who wants to claim John McCain "supports" the Veterans Administration and our troops with his votes:

McCain voted AGAINST an amendment providing $20 billion to the VA's medical facilities. [5/4/06]

McCain voted AGAINST providing $430 million to the VA for outpatient care and treatment of vets. [4/26/06]

McCain voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.5 billion by closing corporate loopholes. [3/14/06]

McCain voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.8 billion by ending abusive tax loopholes.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America has given John McCain a grade of D for his support of veterans (Obama received a B) http://www.iava.org/full-ratings-list

Disabled Veterans of America gave him a 20% rating on support, while giving Obama an 80% rating. http://www.capwiz.com/dav/scorecard.xc

Per Vietnam Veterans of America, John McCain has voted AGAINST us in 15 key votes.
http://www.vva.capwiz.com/election/home.

He opposed and skipped the vote on the 21st Century Webb-Hagel GI BIll.

John McCain " talks" on the campaign trail about the priority the VA needs, and the embarassment of Walter Reed but he has continuously voted AGAINST veteran legislation. Even while we are engaged in two wars. He is a liar and it is a shame he is not held accountable.

Monie: DATA - - YES!!!! :>) :>) Thanks for such thorough research!! :>) :>)

While the media fixates on Barack's "problems", so much so that even his supporters think he's "weak", Barack Obama is playing hardball.

When will the madness stop!
Barack Obama is running ads linking John McCain to innocent Christian, Ralph Reed...
And, he's running the ads in the conservative southern state of Georgia!

Ralph Reed is is a conservative American political activist, best known as the first executive director of the Christian Coalition during the early 1990s.


Here’s the script:

”It was one of Washington’s biggest scandals. And the Republican power broker Ralph Reed was in the middle of it. In deep with convicted felon and lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

“But when the Senate investigated, the senator in charge never even called Reed to testify….And that senator? John McCain. And who’s now raising money for McCain’s campaign? Ralph Reed. For 26 years in Washington, John McCain’s played the same old games. We just can’t afford more of the same.”

Of course, Ralph Reed was never arrested or sentenced for any crimes linked to lobbyist Jack Abramoff or John McCain but The New York Times does not like him.

Brilliant move, Barack.
Let's hope McCain doesn't start running any G-D AmeriKKKa Reverend Wright ads in response...
in Georgia.

The Weekly Standard Blog has the McCain Camp's response to Obama's ridiculous ad, via HotAir:

“Barack Obama’s ad is ridiculous. Because of John McCain, corruption was exposed and people like Jack Abramoff went to jail.

“However, if Barack Obama wants to have a discussion about truly questionable associations, let’s start with his relationship with the unrepentant terrorist William Ayers, at whose home Obama’s political career was reportedly launched. Mr. Ayers was a leader of the Weather Underground, a terrorist group responsible for countless bombings against targets including the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon and numerous police stations, courthouses and banks. In recent years, Mr. Ayers has stated, ‘I don’t regret setting bombs … I feel we didn’t do enough.’

“The question now is, will Barack Obama immediately call on the University of Illinois to release all of the records they are currently withholding to shed further light on Senator Obama’s relationship with this unrepentant terrorist?” --McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.

Do you seriously believe what you just wrote about Ralph Reed? Reed is a longtime partner of Jack Abramoff. Matter-of-fact, he lost his race as Lt.Gov. in Georgia after details of his relationship were uncovered, ironically, by McCain's Indian Affairs Commitee. The Senate probe discovered $4 million in payments Reed accepted to run a bogus anti-casino campaign aimed at reducing gambling competition. According to the Senate's final report, Reed's payments "passed through" Abramoff's firm, Preston, Gates, Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds, and another organization, Gorver Norqhist's Americans for Tax Reform. McCain, for whatever reason did not call Reed to testify, but his name was all in the mix of that scandal and HE LOST A RACE because of it. You can believe that the scandal is still fresh on Georgian's minds. It just goes to show you that McCain is willing to surround himself with questionable people, the same ones investigated and knows is guilty by association. Such a shame into what he has become.

Blind ambition and entitlement will do that to you.

how long do you plan to continue posting here?

I know! 1st Amendment! :>)

Whew! Constitutional Deep breaths!!

Charles Keating Charles Keating Charles Keating Lincoln Savings & Loan Lincoln Savings & Loan Lincoln Savings & Loan 21,000 elderly investors 21,000 elderly investors 21,000 elderly investors 2 Billion 2 Billion 2 Billion

Ya know what,

After the past couple of days, I'm finding that I envy low-information voters, before becoming a supporter of Barack Obama, I was one of them. I knew my politics, but I was not a political junkie. What I mean is I paid attention to most of the issues, but I did not really pay attention to ads, speeches, etc. Now though, like most people in the blogosphere, I've become obsessed. It seems like I check the polls daily, I keep abreast of all political news alerts, ads, talking points, etc, I even read and post on liberal blogs.

But I tell you some days I genuinely miss my low-info days. Luckily, I'm surrounded daily my used-to be fellow low-info peeps, so they keep me sane during "problem" times. Ah, to go about my day not caring or knowing that Barack Obama is "down" in the polls, or that the race is dead heat.

Man, I miss those days.

Oh I so hear you. I have spent the last three months reading about four sites daily. I spend time on a puma site so I can completely and totally hate any feminist and Hillary supporter and the *&&%$$**##@&n men who support them. They have made me look at old white ladies with a cruel tight lipped mouths and make me want to spit on them.


I have spent time on a "progressive" site that is getting more anti Obama as the seconds go by. Those idiots want to talk about destroying the government but have no next day scenario. Intellectuals, they call themselves, self deluded puny brained aging hippies who still do pottery is what I call them. ARRRRG

I swear my biggest fear is waking up in November and having two new groups to fear along side evangelicals and republicans.

If only I didn't read. It is like a bad heroin addiction. I cannot help it.

Thank God for this site if only for GreenLady's education on deep breaths ...deep breaths.

LAMH,

I hear you.

Lilytiger: While co-signing with lamh and you, I am appreciatin' the "Deep Breaths"!! :>) :>) :>) Please use as the spirit moves! :>) :>)

Hitler accuses Churchill of war crimes. That's the first thing that comes to mind upon hearing notorious silver-spoon hothead John Sidney McCain III say that the legendarily level-headed Barack Obama's getting "testy".

Remember, if you will, who's saying this. John McCain, the guy of whom fellow Republican Senator Pete Domenici once said "I Decided I Didn't Want This Guy Anywhere Near A Trigger."

John McCain, of whom another fellow Republican and former fellow Senator, New Hampshire's Bob Smith, said "His Temper Would Place This Country At Risk In International Affairs, And The World Perhaps In Danger. In My Mind, It Should Disqualify Him."

John McCain, of whom yet another fellow Republican Senator, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, said "The Thought Of His Being President Sends A Cold Chill Down My Spine."

This is the man who is reported to have told his wife Cindy, in front of a group of Arizona reporters, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c*nt."

http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/20/hitler-accuse...

Criag always says he isn't FIT to be POTUS.

John Dangerous McCain is UNFIT to be POTUS. ;)

(It seems that Democratic surrogates are just starting to use the word dangerous to describe him. Took them long enough)

Wow...just look at the GOP convention lineup.......Guiliani, Cheney, Bush, Lieberman...now that's what I call a diverse line-up.

miranda: WHAT!?? No representation from the National BLACK Republican Association?? :>) :>) They were having a "conference" Monday -Wednesday. It was on C-SPAN. "Big" crowd! NOT!! They were in a hotel room - kinda! :>) :>)

I find it amazing that Barack's detractors are desperate for him to choose Hillary as his VP because the "polls are telling him to do so!"

Politics is transparent.

Yep....the"polls".....its the "polls" alright.....(snort)....gotta be the "polls".

Politics is transparent and very insulting...they used to camoflauge it a little, now they just call us fools to our faces.

Yep!

After Barack Obama hype, a backlash.

" No human being can meet the wildly inflated expectations that accompany the rookie senator's every move. It can't help that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Obama "a leader that God has blessed us with at this time."

That's the kind of remark that can turn voters into problems. Most Americans famously resent being told an election is over months before the polls open or that God is taking sides. . . . While McCain has complained about media favoritism toward Obama, most recently about NBC News' tilted coverage, maybe he ought to encourage it. Resentment over the media love affair with Obama might be McCain's most powerful weapon. The fawning coverage exaggerates even routine Obama events, and when he fails to meet giddy expectations, the excuse machine warps into overtime. That, in turn, creates another unappealing layer of media-imposed conventional wisdom. "

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/08/19/...

So, McCain wants to reinstate the draft, huh

Hmmm...

That will get the youth turnout to soar, no?

Yep, he sure does...agreed with every word that lady said.

The Dangerous One is going to need a draft for all the wars he intends to wage, all the sovereign nations he intends to invade.

His campaign will explain it away. But we know the truth.

He's still stuck in Vietnam. There was a draft then, he wants there to be a draft now.

Does McCain Favor a Draft? Nope.

Read the whole exchange. As the context makes clear, McCain is focusing on the meat of the question and not the woman's exclamation at the end. Unless you think McCain privately favors the draft and let the cat out of the bag, you're going to have reach to conclude that he's radically changed his mind here.

SEN JOHN MCCAIN: Ma'am let me say that I don't disagree with anything you have said, and thank you.

I'm grateful for all of our veterans. I carry with me quite often a quote from General George Washington in 1789. He said, "The willingness with which young Americans will serve their country in future wars is directly related to the treatment of those who have previously served and sacrificed in conflict." He was right in 1789 and he's right today.

All too often our veterans do not receive the care that they have earned, and the scandal of Walter Reed is a blot on the honor of the United States of America and we can never let it happen again.

Now here's what.. I'll make this as short as possible, our veterans have earned our highest priority. And yet we know that there is also routine health care needs that veterans have that in my view, they should not have to go to the VA to receive. OK?

We have tragically and unfortunately in this war a dramatic...well, we're going to have a lot of PTSD. We also have severe combat injuries. Because thank God, we're able to get the wounded from the battle field to medical treatment more quickly than any time in history. That puts an increased burden on our medical, military medical care, as well as our VA.

So, you mentioned Albuquerque VA I believe. I could take you to Albuquerque VA or the Phoenix VA quite often and the waiting room is crowded, the veterans are standing in line to stand in line to get an appointment to get an appointment. That's not the fault of the people that work there. The people that work there are some of the finest in the World. It's just that they're overloaded.

So we have to focus our attention, expand our capability to treat PTSD, combat related injuries, brain injuries, etc. that we're best at. And for a veteran with a routine health care need, why shouldn't we give that veteran a card and take it to the health care provider; or the doctor of their choice and get the routine health care that they need.

That's what...and that way we could utilize the VA and the medical, the military medical, system to it's greatest affect. And also relieve this burden. I don't ever again want to have a veteran stand in line to stand in line to get an appointment to get an appointment. That's not...that's just not acceptable in America. And again, I do praise the people that work there. They're some of the most dedicated people I've ever known in my life. The problem is that there's just not enough of them.

Two Bits of Data Suggesting... Hillary?

A very good source is telling me that multiple DNC members have told him that Hillary is the person. While not immediately intuitive, Clinton is the candidate who one can easily imagine helping with Barack Obama's numbers. Which seem to be ... in bad shape? Who else would fundamentally shift the numbers? You could see her bringing Democrats back home, etc., in a way that none of the other candidates could.

By the way, she would probably school most Republican VP candidates in the debates. And she and Bill know how to attack attack attack.

Meanwhile, arriving in my e-mailbox moments ago:

Hillary Clinton will campaign for Senator Barack Obama in Florida’s Orange County, Palm Beach County, and Broward County on Thursday, August 21.

In Orange County, Hillary Clinton will meet with officials from the Sheet Metal Workers International Association. Media may cover this event, but it is not open to the public.

In the afternoon, Hillary will attend a rally in Palm Beach County focused on why Barack Obama is the only choice for voters who care about issues important to women in this election.

Later Thursday, Senator Clinton will host an event with seniors in Broward County.

The only thing is, if Hillary's the pick, does she cancel and go up to Virginia with Obama, or does he cancel on Kaine and suddenly appear with her in Florida?

Are you high?

That was a long scroll through. And then another right after that.

Heh

You are too funny, Miranda.

C'mon. Hillary on the ticket isn't going to drive Obama supporters to sit out this election.

He's baaaaaaaaaack!

Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Race Isn't The Reason For Obama's Slide

Cliff Notes version:

I asked a black colleague why Obama isn't running away with the election and the colleague said "because he's black." I feel that he's wrong because legions of white people voted for him during the primaries. The reason Obama is sliding is because he's ignoring liberals and it will cost him in November.

I believe it's because he's Black.

Straight up. No chaser.

Obama's capabilities as a politicianaren't in question. Quite simply, he's the most talented one since Reagan. I hated Reagan with a passion, not disliked, but hated. But, one must recognize skill when one sees it, and he had skill.

Obama has that skill level. It's not something you learn. You either have it, or you don't, and he has it.

WE ALL KNEW - Black folks that is - that the one thing he would have to get over if to be elected was BEING BLACK.

That nothing else would impede him more than BEING BLACK.

I said, before Obama ran, that the question for me was:

Would White People Actually Vote for Somebody Black as President?

We don't know the answer to that question.
But, I want the answer to that question.

We're moving down the highway to a moment of truth for this country, and I honestly don't know which way it's going to turn out.

IS Racism that deep for White folks that they'd turn away the Black candidate who would try and improve their lives, for the White Senile Asshole who's already told them that he intends to continue to fuck them over?

The reason Obama is sliding is because he's ignoring liberals and it will cost him in November.

::

No it won't. No poll in the world can assess the ground game of the campaign.

Elections aren't won in the media.

Disagree messaging and organizing go hand in hand.

Ugh...being subjected to a perpetual amount of mind numbing nonsense that comes from EOH and those like him is significantly exhausting!

We knew Earl didn't go anywhere. Once a Coon for Clinton, always a Coon for Clinton.

"coons for clinton"... LOL !!!

rikyrah: YEP!! :>) :>)

"With just days before the vice-presidential announcements, the political conventions and the final sprint to Election Day, Republican Sen. John McCain has cut Democrat Sen. Barack Obama’s national lead in half, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll." Plus this: "Perhaps the biggest factor keeping the presidential race close has been Obama’s inability to close the deal with some of Hillary Clinton’s supporters."

If it’s true that Obama hasn’t yet asked his VP to join the ticket, does this data force him to go with Her Majesty? According to the Journal’s breakdown, fully 11 percent of all voters say they’d vote for Hillary for president if she were running but they won’t for Obama.

Clinton’s speech on the Tuesday night of the Democratic convention will be a significant event. “The Democratic convention is more than a coronation.” “It is an event where the words of Hillary Clinton are probably going to be exceptionally important.”

“The Hillary Clinton campaign may be over, but the Clinton factor remains an important part of the election.”

U.S. troop casualties in Iraq

As of today, there are 4, 145 reported deaths. 4, 144 confirmed deaths, and 1 pending.

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Jan 0 47 107 62 83 40

Feb 0 20 58 55 81 29

March 65 52 35 31 81 39

April 74 135 52 76 104 52

May 37 80 80 69 126 19

June 30 42 78 61 101 13

July 48 54 54 43 80 18

Aug 35 66 85 65 84

Sept 31 80 49 72 65

Oct 44 64 96 106 38

Nov 82 137 84 70 37

Dec 40 72 68 112 23

Total 486 849 846 822 905

In May 2003, George w. Bush declared "major combat" was over. 176 troops had died up until that point. From June to December of 2003, 310 troops died after"major combat" was declared over that same year. 3,732 have died since Bush declared "major combat" was over. Please note that 5 years after this invasion began, it was June 2008 that we had the lowest number of casualties of troops throughout this war with 13 troops dead. And there are no concrete plans to withdraw our troops at this time, so with troops remaining in Iraq, additonal troop deaths are inevitable.----Please take the time to pray for the dead, the injured, the families and friends that are affected by this conflict and the Afghanistan war.

Just some random thoughts, have been MIA for a couple of days.

I am watching CNN in now and they just previewed the next segment will cover "Obama Sniffles". Apparently, he has a cold. Why is this newsworthy? It seems like one of those puff pieces continuing that whole "Obama is a celebrity" meme.

Also, has anyone seen TVONE's promos running on CNN for DNC Convention after coverage? The promos feature the Dyson's, Jamie Foster and couple of other folk. Maybe I still paranoid from all this "Being Black in America" coverage on CNN, but why the hell are they dancing? Michael Dyson is doing the snake and they are talking about needing "color commentary". Annoying.

Bingo!!! The media acts like Obama is some novelty act.

I saw the promos and they looked like they were for an awards show! Let's hope there is substance and not a gossipy gabfest.

Right Wing Group Assails Hagel - says Hagel has no war experience (because Vietnam was no big deal):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/20/right-...

McCain raises $26 mil in July- but spent $32 mil.......(now, I'm pretty good at math...something isn't balancing here)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/20/mccain...

It is the branch of math called Hillarious Overextendus.

Need computer help.

Got my computer back. What good is it for me to have saved My Favorites if, when I open up IE, and click on Favorites, it's as if I should start over again. Anyone want to help me load my old favorites over to the new IE?

I may have missed it, can somene explain to me how www.barackevan.com
always seems to track back to barack obamas homepage??

I got bored at work and tried every possible combo you can think of..i tired all the frontrunners by first and last name, and in case my laptop is broken, none of them tracked back to his homepahe except this one..


can someone else please confirm ...or atleast explain how that is??

If Barack chooses a runningmate who voted for the war, he's going to give McCain and opening that he'll drive a bulldozer through.

Check out this Dick Gregory clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAcN5iKArQU&feat...

FrankChurch: Thank you for this. :>) :>)

caligirl: This is the YouTube stuff that I was referring to. :>) :>)

just watched it. so he wasn't hatin' on barack after all. :-)

what amazed me though was how those other CLOWNS on the panel were giving him a standing ovation when he was basically speaking to THEM (donna brazile excluded)!!! the hypocrisy is just too much.

not sure if someone already posted this but : Cindy McCain's Mother Teresa Adoption Story False

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/08/...

Wouldn't it be great if Liberal WHITE blogs were making issue of this rather than screaming, "Rush Limbaugh was right! We should have never nominated that affirmative action nigger!"

That would be great...but again I must quote my daddy ...."you must not know the white man"

above my paygrade simply means - he isn't God. It is above him.

val: That was my interpretation. A lot of what he has been FORCED to deal with is also. But, he has been depending on God for assistance!

That's why I keep praying for him. :>)

I could be mistaken, but it sounds like McCain has just made one of those Washington telling the truth by accident gaffes in agreeing with the following statement made by a supporter at a recent town hall meeting:

AUDIENCE MEMBER: If we don’t reenact the draft I don’t think we will have anyone to chase Bin Laden to the gates of hell.

MCCAIN: Ma’am let me say that I don’t disagree with anything you said and thank you and I am grateful for your support of all of our veterans.

Check out the full story at the following link. http://thinkprogress.org/2008/08/20/mccain-supp...


What do you think? Is it much ado about nothing, or a potential game changer for the white suburbanites who would be terrified to see their middle class kids have to fight in an unnecessary war? Thanks.

Right now the White media aren't interested in McCain agreeing that a draft is necessary. Just like they were happy that the story about Al-Maliki agreeing with Obama, went away.

As they did during the run-up to the Iraq invasion, they're going right back into avoiding-the-truth-at-any-cost mode.

White media are actively (but non-verbally) asserting their desire for influence and dominance. The question is, what will Black folk do?

The only poll that is disturbing to me is the one saying McCain is a better steward of the economy. The rest show McCain has upped his numbers not that Obama's have gone down.

I think it has to do w/ the cost of energy but I can't yet put it to words.

Steward of the economy?!? Everyone else may have forgotten this, but dude went bankrupt last summer. His campaign was on life support. Please tell me why I should trust you running our economy if you can't even handle the financing of your own campaign?

People might think that its apples and oranges, but this is the only "executive experience" that both Obama and McCain have. One passed the test with flying colors, another stayed afloat because of his rich wife. You be the judge.

TRW
I am in agreement that McCain isn't a steward for the economy but the polls are saying something different. It is the kind of thing that moves Obama's numbers down
-------------- Original message ----------------------

I'm just curious, if 3 out of 4 stock analysts told you a year ago to divest your money from the mortgage lending market and one told you to buy more, what would you have done? It never ceases to astound me how Republicans get excited when just one poll says their guy is up, but Democrats start a chorus of chicken little when one poll says were trailing. Rather than feeding the media narrative that Obama is free falling, why not emphasize that it's an outlier? There is no doubt that the polls have tightened, which I am guilty of obsessing over, but the idea that SUDDENLY John McCain is leading on the economy and that young folks under 30 have now switched to him (claims the same Zogby poll) is baseless and in the latter case defies common sense. If anyone thought that Senator Obama, the first black nominee with the middle name Hussein to boot, was going to skate through this election, you should share that good stuff you're holding with the rest of us. It's a battle to the finish. He knows it, and so should we.

This is not the last week of October; it's the next to the last week in August. We haven't had conventions nor a single debate. Can we at least wait until mid-September before delaring his candidacy over.

Frankly, I think Senator Obama needs to release a national ad to Democrats, pullin' no punches, say "if you support me, then focus on defeating McCain and not tearing me down. I'm not interested in your bitchin', moanin' and second guessing. Either join me or get out of my way!" And, YES, that goes for me too.

Now that would be an ad.

Refreshing self analysis. Thanks.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-hirshman/ni...

A feminist whines about Obama.

Cliff Notes Version:

When Hillary said that Obama couldn't win among whites and his speeches were empty, she and her supporters were laughed at.

Now that John McCain is saying that Obama can't win among whites and he's just an empty celebrity, people take him seriously. They only take him seriously because he's a man saying it.

It's Obama's fault that he doesn't have more support because he and his supporters shut down Hillary and the people who said he couldn't win white voters.

Speaking at Invesco is a bad idea b/c he'll be compared to Hitler, but let John McCain say it instead.

When Obama loses, don't blame the Hillary supporters for correctly pointing out that Obama can't win among whites and is an empty suit.

I am sick to death of these people. Let's forget about the fact that both Obama and Hillary ran historical campaigns that has had an unprecendented number of people participating. in the primary Or let's forget about the fact that Obama has repeatedly spoken to large audiences, which is kind of the point if you want to get your message to as many people as possible. Instead, let's just regurgitate the ridiculous criticism that if you happen to have people excited about your campaign, and this election in general, that are willing to come out, you shouldn't have them participate or you will look like Hitler.

Did someone beat her with the stupid stick.

What she is saying is that she wants to him to lose. I can't wait for Obama to win to see the disappointment on his face.

Poof Begone

John McCain in 2003 said we could "muddle through in Afghanistan."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wazv45RYj60

In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in November 2003, a reporter asked John McCain what needs to be done to get the job down in Afghanistan. His reponse was:
" I think Afghanistan is dicey. I think that there's certain areas of the country, particularly along the Pakistani border, that are clearly not under the control of either the Pakistan or the Afghan government. I think it was true, it's not necessarily all true that, uh, Karzai, President Karzai, who I happen to admire, controls all of Iraq, till you get to the city limits of Kabul. uh, There have been some, some, some improvements. He's firedsome people. He's tried to bring some of the warlords under control. Uh, there has been rise in al Qaeda activity along the border. There has been some increase in U.S. casualties, uh, I am concerned about it, but I'm not, I'm not as concerned as I am about Iraq today obviously or I'd be talking about Afghanistan. But I, I, I, I believe that if Karzai can make the progress that he is making that in the long term we may muddle through Afghanistan.

John McCain proclaimed he would follow bin Laden to the "gates in Hell" however he said in 2003 we could "muddle through Afghanistan"--the country where bin Laden purportedly trained al Qaeda and still may be hiding out in.

Also, for McCain supporters, notice the stutteringand stammering . He actually claimed Karzai controlled all parts of Iraq.
Clearly, McCain's judgment that the U.S. could "muddle through Afganistan"does not make him fit to be POTUS. (insert sarcasm) Is he willing to "lose" a war so that he can win a campaign?

Thanks for the link, Monie.

That's hilarious. Give me more......

The problem is that this is not meant to be comical, but clearly shows a judgement problem of John McCain. Had this been the other way around, many like you would have assailed Obama if he said something like this. Every single day, my family, friends, and people in my community are dealing with the toll these conflicts bear on their lives. I know first hand people who have had to leave behind their children for the 3rd and 4th times. I know wives who are afraid to answer the door or answer the phone. I have friends who have proclaimed "my husband or brother" came back a different person. I know of a mother, who was deployed, and her daughter's were unfortuantely molested and their lives changed forever. And now she is yet again on another deployment, feeling guilty that she has leave her daughter's behind. and not be able to protect them. Yes, I know the armed services is a volunteer force, but many of these people I know are "career" soldiers with 14-15 years in, who knows that they may not find a decent job in this f--cked up economy. if they leave the military. I know that you are a veteran and I appreciate your service. But I also sacrifice and I know firsthand that families are struggling. These are the stories you won't find on CNN, FOX, and MSNBC. To me, anyone who says, I know there is an increase in casualties but we can "muddle" through Afganistan in the same breath, needs to have their judgement questioned.

That's very moving. The cost is deep and wide.

Disagree. You'll see those stories.

The ones you won't see are of the families who are working to honor the memories of a lost loved one, or who work to see that a family member gets the support from the government they need to finish their mission there. Typically, those people are labeled as warmongers or "right wingnuts," so their stories don't get reported.

The war in Afghanistan (and to an extent, the one in Iraq) was a different type of war that any we had fought to date. Instead of adhering to the Powell Doctrine of overwhelming force, we took advantage of our technology to fight there. So in that, there was a learning curve and, in the early days of the war, some confusion as to what to do. Even now, we've adjusted our strategy piecemeal in Afghanistan; sending in more troops as needed, and focusing on training the Afghans during lulls in violence.

Is it muddling? No. But is it completely coherent to the uninformed? No.

But if we're gonna look to see who would lose an war to win an election, only one candidate advocated withdrawal-for a time-in the face of success.

Really D? You're on that? "Face of success" Come on now. And using McCain's lines too? Wow. I can't believe you even took it there.

"face of success"?? The only people winning this war are the ones who built business models around it and secured contracts to implement them.

What many like you will not admit is that early on people like Gen. Shinsheki and even Coiin Powell knew that before Iraq was invaded, there may needed to be at lease 500,000 troops to carry out a sucessful.mission given the size of the country and other factors, Of course that did not happen. Instead, we got a Bush photo-op abroad a naval carrier excaliming "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" and that major combat had ended two months after the war began. Even with all the technology, the Pentagon did poor ass planning and you know it. Two years into the conflict, there were not even enough armored vehicles out there to help project the troops from IEDs. Yet Donald Rumsfeld famously said "You don't go to war with the Army you want but with the Army you have." I also know that John McCain has received many "low" scores from non-partisan veteran groups for his vote against veteran funding and legislation, even while the deplorable conditions of Walter Reed were broadcast for Americans to see. Even when soldier's were being electrocuted down-range from faulty electrical work. And you know that capturing bin Laden will not rely heavily just on technology but on special forces and ground troops. And that is why now, after almost the completion of 7 yearsin Afghanistan, we will now need to redistribute troops from Iraq. Another thing, the increase in troops has helped propel the surge, but the U.S. is also paying insurgents to curb their own violence and too many media outlets are choosing to bypass that part of the equation. These payments began while the troop levels were building up. And last but not least, "muddling" was John MCain's words, not mine. I don't question John McCain's patriotism but I think it is disgusting that he questions Barack Obama.

You're not just repeating talking points.

Under the Powell Doctrine, we would have fought in Iraq with close to half a million troops on the ground (some estimates I saw said 700,000). Would that have worked? Yes, but Rumsfeld expected that any Iraqi resistance would be destroyed through our technological advantage. For objective thinkers on Iraq, that is one of the enduring lessons we learned: technology, by itself, is not an effective substitute for boots on the ground.

In May 2003, when Bush gave his speech, major combat in Iraq had ended. We were not fighting it out in the streets anymore, and were not taking heavy casualties. So at that time, all the goals of OIF as stated by the president-up to those relating to the hunt for WMD-had been accomplished.

Was the planning for the war adequate? Based on what we knew and what we assumed at the time, I believe so. Now, was the planning for the day after Saddam adequate? By no stretch of the imagination. From late 2003-early 2004 until the surge in 2007, we almost lost the war.

I've got a lot more to say, but I'd like to finish the discussion without turning this thread into a dissertation on Iraq.

D, I enjoy having a civil discussion, but come on, major combat ended in 2003. Are you kidding me? Many like you keep trumpeting the effect of the surge in 2007--when at least 3 brigades had to be mobilized 4 years after the invasion to coambat violence. How can anyone consider major combat was over when troop levels, which are now still above "pre-Surge" levels, has never decreased. You know that if troops have invaded another country, and remain there, they are indeed in combat. That has been the lie that Republicans continue to tell--and it is a shameful one.

Disagree, and here's why:

If the sole statistic to base the beginning/end of major combat is the number of fatalities, then it's safe to say that major combat did end in May. With the exception of November 2003, we never lost more servicemembers in a month than we did during the first months of the war. That's part of why the surge is touted as a success, as we are at or lower than the '03 monthly casualty rate now.

Now, having said that, I believe that at some point during 2004-2006, the president should've come out and said that major combat had restarted, because it obviously had.

D, I have included numbers of the casualties. This administration acted too slow and recklessly when it came to our troops. More troops died after "major combat" was over in that year than before it was declared over.

Your numbers match mine, though my comparison was month by month, and did not look at the cumulative total.

I think we can agree on the fact that in light of everything that took place post-May 2003, the president's declaration of the mission being accomplished was at best, premature. It took the better part of there years and countless thousands of lives for us to realize that unfortunate fact.

You've earned my respect in a way that most haven't here. Thanks for the discussion.

Hold up.....my sister just called and CNN won't confirm that Tubbs-Jones died. Un-freaking-believable.

Have any of you looked at www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com? The videos are amazing....if that group can get their videos on the msm alot of people will see McCain in a very negative light. Included in the video are criticisms from two Republican representatives, Bob Dornan (CA) and Bob Smith (NH) and some ex military personnel. McCain's character doesn't look so hot.

I'm surprised the anti McCain people haven't done a better job in getting these made more public. I was really taken aback when I viewed them, its all about McCain succeeding in keeping records on the Vietnam pow/mia's top secret and why. They are basically accusing McCain of blocking the release of these records to protect his own reputation.

Thanks for the heads-up, Angela.

I was actually reading that site the other day. I am stunned by the hatred of McCain by vets.

Those who know McCain, who have served with McCain are the ones who need to call McCain's "honor" into question. They're the only ones who can do it.

Ok..here's a scenario. These vets get funding to do a national ad. When the ad airs, the Repubs make a big stink and demand O repudiate these tactics.

O come out and says that McCain is a war hero, that he's always said that....BUT!! instead of repudiating the vets who made the ad, he says they are ALSO heroes, and he doesn't have the right to contradict their account of events. He could say he respects their positions!

Now the question is, would O take that bold stance....or would he do what is expected of him by repudiating the vets??

I have no clue what he would do.

Stephanie Tubb Jones died.

She's in critical condition, with limited brain function as per press conference on now.

I can't help thinking the strain of recent events had something to do with this. I'll never forget the night Clinton suspended, she was in a line up of people waiting to hug Hillary and she was flopping her hands up and down like she was just beside herself. I remember also each panel she appeared on she seemed really anxious.

It doesn't look good, but I hope she pulls through.

I was thinking the same thing. Her energy was always all over the place. It's as though she needed Hillary to win because her life depended on it.

I noticed that too...in fact, many of my friends commented about it. Her behavior seemed a little off but no one could quite figure out what it was.

You're right about that!! Who knows what she's been going through as the convention nears! She could have been pressured as to how to vote.

I immediately thought about the stress of not "winning" and what effect that had on her physical condition.

John McCain continuously gets a free pass to lie about his "support" of the troops.

John McCain vocally opposed the Webb-Hagel 21st Century G.I.Bill, but has since taken credit for its passage:

In front of the Veteran of Foreign Wars"on Monday he had this to say:

"As a political proposition, it would have much easier for me to have signed in what I considered flawed legislation. But the people of Arizona, and all of america, expect more from their representatives than that, and instead I sought a better bill. I'm proud to say that the result is a law that better serves military families and better serves the interest of our country."
That is a load of crap!!!!!!!

McCain, in his opposition at times said the bill was too generous, would negatively affect retention, and all these other types of lame excuses.

The deputy director of the VFW had the following to say about the McCain bill he proposed to contrast the Webb-Hagel Bill:
"The Graham-Burr-McCain is "very partisan" and is seen as a way to convolute thGI Bill or to slow the Webb-Hagel proposal down." The VFW endorsed the Webb-Hagel version and is rewarding Senator Jim Webb a gold medal and citation for his work on Veteran's education benefits.

John McCain claims to have made this better legislation, even though his proposals were widely rejected. Unfortunately he DID NOT show up to vote for its passage. He was at a fundraiser instead. So please do not believe John McCain from this point on about helping to pass this legislation--He is a liar,plan and simple.

Point of contention: parts of McCain's proposed legislation were added in to Webb-Hagel.

The greater point is that he was very critical of this legislation and if he truly contributed to make this a better bill, he could have stood in solidarity with the others and showed up to votedfor it. The VFW is awarding a medal to Senator Webb for his leadership and merit, not John McCain. So it is truly offensive for him to take credit for "refining" a bill that he did not even vote on.

Offensive to who?

McCain's concerns over this bill were more than valid.

McCain's chief excuse for not supporting this bill was that he thought it was "too generous" or that it would effect the retention of soldier's (which was debunked, the bill actually encourages retention). McCain felt it should be based on an individual's years in. The problem is OVER 52% OF U.S. TROOP DEATHS ARE THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 25, fairly young and newer soldiers, many with less than 5 years of service, not to mention the tens of thousands of younger injured troops who could truly benefit from better education benefits. Now benefits are extended to troops who serve 3 years. It is offensive when to Webb, Hagel, the Senators and Representatives who voted for it, the veteran organizations who endorsed it and last but not leastly the troops when he continues to spread the myth of his support of a bill that he outright opposed and did not vote for!

But he didn't say he supported the bill. He said that the law as signed better serves the troops, their families, and the force.

"Too generous" I disagreed with. I saw his point on how the bill might affect the services' overall end strength, and it was a valid concern. He raised that concern along with others, and now the bill requires at least three years in service before you're eligible for benefits.

Webb-Hagel, as originally written, also did not contain a provision for transfer of benefits to spouses or dependent childern, something that McCain wanted to see in the bill.

Now, I'll concede that his introducing a new bill was a political stunt that everyone saw through. It was not a better bill, as he suggested. But the points that he made in questioning Webb-Hagel, and by introducing his bill were ultimately addressed in the final version of the law.

I will try to make this my last post about this. McCain was congratulated on this bill by George W. Bush when he signed it- which we know was done for political reasons. McCain has taken publicly taken credit for this bill. Members of VFW themselves said McCain's bill was "very partisan" and "attempted to convolute the Webb-Hagel Bill." Also, you should know , military members contribute their own money to start off the program, the updated bill provides more money to cover tuition, especially considering the high cost of college.

At a town hall meeting on July 7, 2008, a vteeran asked McCain about his non-support of the GI Bill and voting against veteran health funding. He said this:

"Well, let me say this on the issue of the GI Bill. I have great respect for Senator Webb and I appreciate his efforts and his service toour country. The issue was we need to increase our education benefits for our veterans, um, and we were dedicated to that propositon. The problem that some of us had, who were career military was that there were studies that showed that we didn't have incentives for people to become career military people. I think those who served understand the importance of the non-commissioned officer and incentives for people to stay in. So we argued for an ability of. that, active duty service personnel, after they'd been in for a period of time, they could transfer those educational benefits to their spouses and/or family members. Uh, we felt, so that one appropriate, that a career military person doesn't have to worry about providing education benefits in that way and incentives to stay in to stay in. In case you missed it, we reached an agreement, and we, uh, passed the legislation and we will not only have the education benefits, we will have incentives, uh, for people,uh, for people who are to become career military and be able to transfer those benefits. Now, I, I, I'm disappointed that it only went back to 2001, Senator, and uh, I was disappointed that Senator Webb didn't support making it permanent and Senator Graham and I and other veterans will be looking at , to try, to extend that to all veterans, not just 2001. I hope you'll urge Senator Webb and others to, uh, agree with me.

Senator McCain in that speech claims he helped pass it, EVEN THOUGH HE SKIPPED THE VOTE ON IT. And had the nerve to say he was disappointed that Webb did not extend it longer. All veteran groups endorsed Webb-Hagel bill, while McCain continue to harp about career military this and career military that. Most troops who enter in the armed forces now will more than likely serve at least 2 deployments in a 3-4 year period. In my opinion, you do not need to be in 10 years(which typically defines a career millitary) to be allowed to have what he called a "generous" benefit considering we are in the midst of two wars and if it was up to McCain we would bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran. And at the end of the day, McCain's argument was flawed. Nothing I believe is too generous for a group of people who represent 0.5% of the population and defends over 300 million people in this country.

And like clockwork, Pickens' ad comes on.....

After spending a lifetime addicting America to oil and standing in the way of alternative energy innovation...now Pickens has religion. The oil's almost gone. The "in" drug now: Wind. You will consume what the Pickens of the world tell you to!

yeah, and all this after he's made his fortune many times over!

pitiful.

caligirl: If we were talking about David/Dick Gregory - - please see FrankChurch's post above for the YouTube clip of Dick Gregory! :>)

He's a welfare queen AND drug dealer.

no doubt.

p.s. your avatar is barely visible--maybe that's how u want it?

The only purpose I could see for Barack even being there was to use the forum to speak to Christians, agnostics, atheists and people of other faiths about his religious views on the topics discussed and assuage any fears that he'd let his beliefs cloud his judgment when elected president. In that respect I think he did an excellent job. I would be much more concerned about Barack if he would have started shamelessly pandering for votes like McCain did.

Now, I need to get my rant in about this disingenuous crap being fed to us since the forum ended. I think the whole discussion of who won and who lost the "debate" at Saddleback is proof positive of how nonreligious the "religious right" is. First of all, how can you be "debating" an opponent that isn't even there? Second, how does the guy who actually DISCUSSES his faith end up being the one who lost? Third, what the hell are a bunch of so-called Christians doing cheering on a well known warmonger who never even bothers to answer the questions and chooses instead to spin lies, recite debunked myths as folksy stories and shamelessly campaign to avoid any scrutiny of what his religious beliefs actually are? And we really need to pay attention to the crap Rick Warren fed the media about how "fair" the forum was gonna be and compare it to the stuff he's been saying since it ended. He lied to us about not sharing the questions beforehand. He lied about McCain being backstage in a "cone of silence." He refuses to even admit that McCain broke the rules. And, since the forum Warren has been hitting every media outlet that will have him to harshly criticize Obama because he wouldn't claim that fetuses have rights, even going so far as to call him "a holocaust denier" in one interview. The guy is on straight bullshit and the entire forum was proof that the "religious right" has no interest in following the Bible, Jesus or anyone who adheres to what either say. For the religious right politics IS their religion..

"what the hell are a bunch of so-called Christians doing cheering on a well known warmonger "

Profound questions eclectibrotha!

The truth is that Christianity worships death. Death is their currency. They jostle with the Muslims to see who will get to die first. They are merchants of suffering and death. The potential for death keeps them in business. Really, it is the most secure business to be in.

I knew in my gut that Warren was a piece of shit. He uses that soft rounded overfed, jovial face of his and his slitted eyes to deceive. There are no sharp angles on his face. He looks like the big, cuddly, benevolent father figure in the goofy Hawaiian shirts. DO NOT BE FOOLED. He set Barack up!!!! Barack threatens his plans for world domination by Christianity.

I believe he set Barack up too.

i know, eclectic (i always see 'electric'). it's crazy.

rick warren is the antichrist.

T Boone Pickens - Right Wing welfare queen. Pickens is looking for a government handout for his wind farm. It's your damned farm...take care of it, Pickens!!

But, I'm sure Pickens will argue that the farm offers benefits to the community. The single Mom argues also, that a well fed and sheltered child greatly benefits the community...human capital 'n all, but neither she nor her child can get a break. Maybe if she dressed the little critter up as a windmill, she might get a "handout".

McCain is talking war again. He says it's all about securing the nation. Securing America must be the longest road trip ever!!! America asks: Are We Secure YET??!!!!

The punchline is that you'll NEVER be secure, mutherfuckers!!!! HAHAHAHAHAH....CHOKE..SPUTTER.

ah ha aha ha aha!

Hey msmartin.

I'm watching the Obama special on CNN. Watching footage of O with the crowds and when he announced his run for President. I can feel that amazing energy right through the tv. Lots of chills. It is a mistake if the campaign lets us forget who O is by getting bogged down in policy and forgetting the power of inspiration.

Hillary and the Repubs could feel it too, that's why the first thing they did was mock and attack it.

Obama needs to fight back. I just spoke with my field organizer who said that she has been hearing this refrain on the ground. She said that people are getting a bit demoralized because they do not see him fighting back especially against the celebrity meme. People want to see a fighter so they are willing to bat for him. She said that she’s been submitting reports expressing those concerns. From my impression the top people in the campaign are in a bubble. It also my impression that there’s a lot of crap going on within the democratic party that we don’t know about.

Something that's been bothering me for a while. O seems to have a thing for slapping down his supporters, while cozying up to people who would "cut his nuts out." if they could. I keep thinking about the Father's Day speech, then the man who questioned McCain's service and had to be slapped down by Barack on tape. That man and the Father's Day audience left Barack's presence feeling down. I would have gone home, and not been inspired to volunteer after that. All this repudiating and rejecting is getting supporters down.

The young man who heckled Barack at his town hall and was told that he could vote for someone else. Barack could have made a believer out of him.....Barack does have it within himself to do that. That guy wanted to be convinced, but instead he left feeling pretty down. I'm sure that guy was more genuine than the Hillary supporters Obama is contorting himself to appease.

I hear you. That speech knocked the wind out of my sails and I can't imagine how I would feel if I questioned him and was told I could vote for someone else all while he's bending over backwards to get "others" votes.

Also, remember that this was one of the points Hillary was trying to make about Barack...that she, not him, was the fighter (remember the rocky stunt?). Obviously, Barack never fought back to Hillary. Even at the ABC debate he looked powerless. Those of us who raised concerns back then that he wasnt slapping Hillary down were told that he wouldnt hold back against the rethugs (I dont do cowering anyone?, but here we are three months before before election and McCain is all but calling Obama a treasonous traitor and Obama still hasnt fought back back. If I could give barack one advice it would be this: STOP PRAISING MCCAIN AS A WAR HERO! save that dish for once you're in office. Now, we need to raise the same kind of questions the rethug raised about kerry. Please, stop being mr. nice guy.

Anthony, I was one of the people saying he would fight the Republicans - I'm waiting on the head shot.

Anthony, I was one of the people saying he would fight the Republicans - I'm waiting on the head shot.

Outside of the Father's Day Speech, I've always find it revealing that the media only airs snippets of Barack's town halls that reflect poorly on him.

We would not be having these discussions if Obama had MORE EXPERIENCE.

What in the hell does experience have to do with the way the media presents Obama?

It seems as though you're having a converstion with yourself.

Can we please stop it with the experience meme. Its past tired. For all the experience that McCain "supposedly" has, he still has trouble putting together a coherent sentence half the time but his supporters give him the benefit of the doubt.

But let Obama utter one "um" or "uh" and for his critics, its bulletproof evidence that he doesn't know what he is talking about.

Give me a freakin' break.

We would not be having these discussions if this was a white man.

miranda: OOOPS! You went there!!! :>) :>) :>)

You have COMPANY!! :>) :>) :>)

If it's coming from the field organizers and not just from random supporters, then I think he will hear it. I hope to God that he hasn't isolated himself in a bubble and is getting adequate feedback and a correct view of the lay of the land.

I appreciated the way he answered the abortion question. Brought some levity to it. I just hate that's the only excerpt they showed on the news you know? Its like, if the evangelicals are trying to change their image, why focus on that issue?

http://obamaprops.tumblr.com
http://twitter.com/obamaprops

Evangelicals are not trying to 'change their image' they are trying to broaden their social agenda to include AIDS, poverty and genocide. But they will not abandon their core beliefs re: abortion and marriage.

"One thing that I’m absolutely convinced of is there is a moral and ethical content to this issue."

How profound! So thoughtful and nuanced! And I'm absolutely convinced that the sky is blue.

His reference to the Democratic platform on abortion is laughable. He insists that it represents an effort to reduce abortions, but Obamas’ language pledges to oppose all efforts to limit abortion on demand while providing public financing for abortions. That language actually strengthens the pro-abortion position over the 2004 position, while paying lip service to reducing abortions through nore government-funded programs.

Has Barack Obama ever voted to reduce abortions? Obama never answered that question, but he hasn’t. He voted against the ban on partial-birth abortions, a bill that passed Congress on a bipartisan basis three times before finally becoming law. In Illinois, he voted to kill a bill that would have stopped Christ Hospital and other medical facilities from abandoning live infants from unsuccessful abortions so that they would die of neglect. Obama lied about this, too, in an interview on CBN with David Brody and that lied has now been exposed.

BTW: Isn’t Barack Obama a Constitutional law scholar? Isn’t a question of personhood supposed to be in that “pay grade”?

That language actually strengthens the pro-abortion position over the 2004 position, while paying lip service to reducing abortions through nore government-funded programs.

Not at all. Lip service is what has been occurring under Republican leadership. Obama believes - as he said - that when women have access to education, good jobs, health care, they are naturally more likely to bring pregnancies to term.

We cannot bypass a woman's body and the right it affords her, to get to the contents of her uterus. Those contents cannot survive without the willing consent of that woman.

Why not sedate all women of childbearing age, impregnate them, and use them as baby pods?
Why not detain any woman who takes drugs or has a glass of wine to protect the fetus? Because the woman is a being in her own right. She chooses to have sex, she chooses to carry - or not - any resulting pregnancy.

Women have always had abortions. They do consciously what all female animals do biologically. When there is limited food or adverse conditions, their bodies expel or absorb fetuses or reduce the size of the litter. Before modern medicine, midwives used herbs to help women limit their families to the available resources.

We don't want to go back to the dark ages.

The problem with the "personhood" question is you cannot get around, or past the PERSON whose uterine contents you want to legislate over. And, until you can sustain life outside of a woman's body, you cannot legislate over it.

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/20/114344/...

This diary says that Stephanie Tubbs Jones had a massive aneurysm and is on life support and that it did not look good.

Wow. I know I have expressed my dislike for her in the past but certainly don't wish her any harm. I hope she has a safe and swift recovery.

Did anyone catch Bill Maher on Larry King last night? He said he was disappointed that Obama has moved to the center, and thinks he needs to put Clinton on the ticket.

Yeah, I saw that mess. And I will repeat my criticism again. If you are a supporter, at least know what the heck you are talking about.

1) I agree with people on the FISA issue. Obama didn't provide enough legitimate reasons to support that legislations, but ...
2) He has not moved to the center on faith based initiatives. He started his career as a community organizer working with CHURCHES!!!!! He wrote about this positive experience. Why are people silly enough to keep pushing the argument that he is only supporting it for political reasons.
3) Death penalty. Check his record. Obama has moved to make the death penalty more fair, but he has also supported it in limited circumstances.
4) Gun Control. There has been some controversy with some surveys he filled out, but from his record it looks like he has supported the States' effort to provide tougher regulation, but not an outright ban.
5) Off shore drilling. Listen to what he says. He does NOT support off shore drilling. But unless people can come up with a legitimate way to get rid of all of the Republican AND Democratic politicians that do support it, we are going to be stuck in this energy stalemate for another 30 years. This is what Obama has been talking about from jump. Letting partisan politics defeat progress.
6) Clinton. Don't make me hurl. After her behavior during and post primaries, I would not vote for that woman to be a dog catcher. I think it would be horrible mistake to make her a VP. And I find it disgusting that more of her political allies don't call her out on the fact that she hired, and retained the services of a man who had no problem with painting Obama as "Un-American." Please, give me a break.

So in sum, Bill Maher is like other wayward Obama supporters. He continues to try to make Obama the candidate that he is not--i.e., uber progressive AND liberal, and talks out the side of his neck with that nonsense.

Town: Co-signing on all points! I watched it 2. "Hated it"! :>) :>)

Obama is not centrist or moderate and he does not fare well when trying to appeal to religious conservatives or center-right independent voters.

His moves to the middle are purely political and his reflexive, default position is progressive and liberal.

According to you.

Yes. I consider myself more moderate, center-right and there are few positions on which I can agree with Obama.

he never really supported barack. he's a hillary supporter who's still pissed that she lost, though he flipped when it became evident that obama was gonna beat her (i'm sure in a pathetic attempt to hold on to his 'cool pose' with his viewers). bill maher's an ass.

i didn't see the king show.

I disagree. He has always said that while he likes Hillary, she represents the same ol', same ol' and that's why he supports Obama.

i guess i just don't see him as being very genuine. he irks me, and confuses cynicism with intelligence.

Well stated. Hillary Clinton would kill his ticket, sending independents and Obamacans to McCain in droves.

I don't watch TV, don't own one. Didn't watch the "Slick Rick Bareback Mountain Hour."

There is 26 years of material in McCain's career that he should be hammered with. If Obama is going to be noble, professorial, and 'smart' until November, expect McCain to be President.

We already know we want change. The Dems and Independents are ready. This group outnumbers the Repubs and Independents for McCain.

Obama just has to make people on McCain's side decide to stay home. That's all. He keeps wasting time trying to win them over. They'll never vote for him.

Either he takes off the gloves, which I hope he will, or he continues to call that feeble-minded dishonest contemptible old man 'honorable', and says he respects his 'war record.'

Funk that nonsense.

Why give your opponent that shield? McCain is clearly not honorable. And he continues to get a pass from the media that wants him as President.

Obama should hammer the old man into the ground on everything. He can start with his POW history, and make it part of his weakness, not an untouchable strength. He must keep hammering all the way up to his feeble-minded fumbling, dishonesty and incoherence. He can accuse the media of being easy on him too.

Two can play that game.

I like Obama, but stop being Mr. Nice Guy, you're not running against the old white woman anymore.

And now it's time for me to disconnect myself from following the general election.

Obama should hammer the old man into the ground on everything.

Yes! Yes! Yes!.....that's my very own "Triple O" right there!

I agree with this.

Yes! yes! yes!

Yes! yes! yes!

McCain has spent his life in service to this country, sacrificing his freedom and physical safety for this country. He has endured captivity, solitary confinement and torture.

He has served in Congress for 26 years and has built a strong and solid reputation as someone who will defy his party, and work across the aisle to tackle difficult issues.

He had the wisdom and courage to demand the change in strategy that led to the successful 'surge' in Iraq while all others cried 'pull out now' or 'stay the course'.

He has shown humility, often calling himself an 'imperfect' servant of this country.

McCain can go mano-a-mano with Obama. Bring it on!

Saying it won't make it so. What planet are you from?

Saying it won't make it so. What planet are you from?

According to the Bush Administration, McCain was never tortured. Quite frankly I'm not at all impressed about his POW stint and I'm sick of people pretending like it was such a sacrifice. My grandfather survived WWII and came back to his home and raised his family in Alabama. McCain was on a vacation for 5 years compared to what my grandfather endured. So all that "serve country" crap, you can stuff it.

Miranda,

Many POW's were ashamed they were captured and basically 'sat out' the war while their comrades were being shot at. POW is not usually something held up as heroism....unless it's believed you were severely tortured or starved close to death.

That rant is the reason why Obama will lose the election.

Is that all you've got?

That's a pretty big statement ya made thar Sparky! ...pretty crazy.

To get back to rationality:

Your activity here is one of the gazillion reasons John McCain will lose the election.

That's quite a send off, goldenah.

I admit I'm concerned, maybe even alarmed, by the current polling trends, but I'm more annoyed by how Democrats can't let shit go and focus on the enemy. True enough I'm guilty of the same. I chose to vent the last two days, but I'm back to focusing on defeating McCain, not tearing down Barack. It's approaching a weeks since Saddleback, so enough already. Yes, his performance at Saddleback wasn't good, but neither was John McCain's. So what he gave simplistic answers to complicated questions. It wasn't a debate, but a forum. If it was a debate I would hope some one would have asked McCain where the hell is on a map? And if he alone knows how to find Osama Bin Laden, why the hell hasn't he told the military? Perhaps even ask him if God has chosen not to defeat evil in the course of human history, which my Bible tells me is the only one who can, how is John McCain the lone human who can? Watching the media and many Democrats gush over McCain's Saddleback performance reminds me of when parents celebrate their 2-year-olds for pooping in the toilet for the first time. McCain didn't shit himself, so he's the winner?

BTW, stalwart Liberals and Progressives, when does life begin?

I liked his performance at Saddleback, and I don't care if everyone in the media seems to slam it. I imagine there are other Independents who liked Obama's performance, and polls and punditry don't tell our story.

as an independent, i agree. our opinions haven't mattered much, but they will on november 4th!

Another independent signing in.

from another Independent....as well.

Define independent.

Independent - not a republican, not a democrat. Not you.

Town, what you said about America is so true. I know no one want to here this but what
Rev Wright said about America is true also.

it's not a just one poll.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080820/pl_po...

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/20...

first, let me put out a disclaimer: i AM NOT a troll. i'm a Obama supporter and have done volunteer work for the campaign where i live, HOWEVER, this is NOT good. when hillary went on the attack, she start winning primaries and votes. Fortunately, it was too little, too late. not so for mccain. he's using the same tactics hillary used and IT'S WORKING. this has actually got me depressed. here's a serious question that i'd like to get an answer to: considering the polls and hillary's plan to ruin the convention, why should i be optimistic about obama's chances? i'm new to politics so if someone could lay out some reasons, i'd really appreciate it, seriously?

It is just one poll. Can't you read your own sources?

I'm worried, too, but take heart. Every time people start second guessing Obama's campaign strategy, he proves them wrong.

I think as soon as Obama starts really swinging at McCain, the tide will turn back in his direction. The media WILL NOT criticize McCain-- it loves him too much and has wholesale swallowed the McCain image as a maverick and independent thinker. Obama and his surrogates need to be the ones who start chipping away at this image. The more they do it, the more negative and aggressive they become, the further down in the polls McCain will slip.

I am also hopeful that the debates are taken seriously by the moderators and that they will ask them in-depth, follow-up questions. McCain only does "talking points"-- he can't back up his own campaign platform cogently. He forgets positions he's taken. If Obama takes the advice his campaign has to have heard by now, he will seriously practice on extemporaneous speaking, to get rid of the uhs and ums, and to have a more passionate response without looking angry.

Take heart. Obama has done an excellent job thus far, and once he realizes how simple-minded most Americans are, he'll come out on top.

The moderators will be in the tank against Obama (not necessarily for McCain) with the exception of maybe Gwen Ifill for the VP debate. He needs to prepare accordingly. Things have gone down in this election season that never before have happened, and so we shouldn't be surprised if McCain and the moderators gang up on Obama a la Hillary or if McCain already knows the questions and right answers a la Cone Of Silence-gate.

I seem to recall that the last week of July had McCain up by a couple of points--at that time, the media were up in arms because Barack was supposedly playing the race card. When that non-issue didn't go anywhere, the polls came back "even". Shortly after, Barack was back on top by a few points.

That's the media's present day scam; to monkey around with poll numbers to make it an "interesting" race (notice who most of these polls have a major network component?). We saw this during the primaries. We're seeing the same thing now.

Because contrary to what you may see on the news or what you may read on various websites, Barack Hussein Obama has never ever at no point, ever, been the frontrunner. Never. He has NEVER been the frontrunner. Not in the primaries, not now. I don't care what the pundits say, I don't care what the numbers or polls say. He has never been the frontrunner. He's been running against the odds from birth. But if you need a reason to be optimistic, I suggest you read this book called "From Superman To Man" by J.A. Rodgers. Its really good and its a good example of what Barack has really done with his campaign.

Oh, and if you happen to read the book, Barack would be the pullman porter. The politician he talks to is everybody else, period.

"why should i be optimistic about obama's chances?"

You shouldn't. And if you feel that Obama is a loser, you are doing yourself a disservice by continuing to campaign for him. I actually hope he goes down further in the polls and I actually hope Billary tries to sabotage him at the convention next week, because I think it will provide him and his campaign some extra fire in the belly.

That is too risky

Because of his skin color and the dynamics surrounding this election, you should ALWAYS assume Obama is 10 down from what the polls say. ALWAYS. So if the polls are saying Obama and McCain both have 47%, you need to assume that Obama really has 37%. If the Obama campaign runs as if they are the underdog and the losing candidate, they'll be fine. If they run as if they are inevitable, he'll face the same fate as Hillary.

I agree with you on that. By the way has anyone read the Maureen Dowd piece.

I agree. Barack will lose this fight if he assumes that he's ahead on points, and tries to play it safe.

He has to knock McCain smooth OUT. Yes, there will be offended White people. But let them look foolish for cheering on the guy who's been knocked out, rather than rallying around a guy who's still in the fight.

I agree largely with your premise that Obama needs to run as the underdog.

That will never happen. He is "The One." This is a Democrat's year!

Icarus.

I know I'm sounding like a broken record here ...

but even if just 10 Black NFL stars (and even a couple of White ones) threatened to boycott 2 football games with the highest projected ratings, it would force FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS networks to finally end their complicity in the blatant undermining and sabotaging of Barack Obama's candidacy.

Why waste their time? The networks are in the business of making money. If these NFL stars really want to do something to make a difference, why not fund a voter registration drive, or provide stipends to activist in battleground states. Or host political forums so that people in their community can become more informed.

Boycotting over the coverage is only going to bring negative attention that will not ultimately help Obama.

I'm sorry but you must not follow sports media too closely. Athletes that 'talk" too much about ANYTHING are bashed to high heaven, and Lord only knows one that is "political" would be given the Craig Hodges treatment in a heartbeat. ESPN means "Every Suspect Probably Negro" and that's it.

Not true. Kobe Bryant has been praised for his comments about patriotism during th Olympics.

Yeah, ok, half of those NFL stars probably don't even know who Obama is, beyond "that black guy running for president."

Um, I halfway agree with Ronnie.

Here's who I've seen on TV among blacks supporting Obama (with the disclaimer that I'm not a supporter, so I don't follow too terribly closely):
1. political types
2. entertainers
3. Luda/the BET crowd (and their helpfulness to the campaign is suspect, at best).

I'm not going to say a boycott would be the best thing, but the sports world is one of this country's largest stages. Flipside is that maybe the athletes don't feel it's their duty to speak out; if that's the case, their opinion has to be respected.

"Flipside is that maybe the athletes don't feel it's their duty to speak out; if that's the case, their opinion has to be respected."

They aren't going to risk their paychecks for Obama. I've always contended that the issue of affirmative action in college admissions could be shut down if black athletes boycotted a school or a state that doesn't have a recruitment program in place. But that's not going to happen because most people are trying to get in where they fit in.

And I disagree with political type black people supporting Obama; they're only on his bandwagon now to get their face on TV.

And that reluctance of losing one game's paycheck would the natural response. But look at it this way:

Highly paid pro athletes MUST rely on a largely White sports media. Wouldn't a sports media that had more Black folks increase the marketability of these same Black athletes (thereby increasing their salaries)?

If there were more Blacks in powerful positions in sports media, would Mike Vick be in prison? Would Barry Bonds have been villified the way he was? Would Terrell Owens or Randy Moss be seen as such bad guys if there were more brothers who had the final decision on media content?

I just think it's a shame that professional Black athletes don't realize the power that they have to change society.

i do too. but--at least for the time being-- the days of the politically aware/active athlete are over. i think they will return though--just not with the current crop.

wasn't that a beautiful picture of muhammad ali, jim brown, etc. getting together for political action...? talk about POWER! we'll see it again... just not right now.

If there were more Blacks in powerful positions in sports media, would Mike Vick be in prison? Would Barry Bonds have been villified the way he was? Would Terrell Owens or Randy Moss be seen as such bad guys if there were more brothers who had the final decision on media content?

I understand what you're saying, but IMO these guys aren't the best examples to drive home that point. I think those three brought a lot of the negative attention on themselves either from bad judgment or immaturity (though I will say being in New England has had a positive effect on Moss). It depends a lot on how the athletes carry themselves. For example the NY media worships Derek Jeter, and I don't think I've ever seen a reporter hate on Tim Duncan. I think that has a lot with them both being perceived as the consummate professionals that don't bring a bunch of self-inflicted drama.

That's now the Wurl Wide Leader works...along with the "Birth of a Nation" Trifecta of FoxSports, AOL Sports and Deadspin. There is a perception of these reckless thug athletes that happen to be of the darker persuasion. There are NHL players with manslaughter convictions but Mike Vick is the real danger to the little kids in suburbia who wanna wear his jersey. There is a fight in damn near every hockey game....but it was the NBA fight in Detroit that was replayed for weeks on end. You would think T.O. had a rap sheet as long as the Home Run Derby winner Josh Hamilton, but T.O. has never been arrested. I'm telling you, the sports media is not much different from conservative talk radio.

Ugh, don't get me started on Deadspin. I liked it for the first 6 months because while they were snarky they weren't mean spirited about it. But it's devolved into a cesspool of racist and sexist commentary.

The comments on ESPN, AOL and FoxSports are not much better.

You just proved my point in a way. For every Derek Jeter that the (mainly white sports media) worships, there are are half a dozen Garrett Anderson's and Jermaine Dye's that that same media largely ignore. And for every well-behaved Tim Duncans, there are half a dozen more brothas that the (mainly white sports media) ignores.

Instead, that same media hyperfocuses on the Pacman Jonses of sports. More strong and fearless Black men in media would make a difference.

If only the athletes demanded this.

Yes on Mike Vick....sorry. Even some black sportswriters hammered him.

An interesting question would be if they did realize it, who would they lean toward, if all that was considered was the candidates' tax policies?

The majority of these brothas throw money at luxury houses, cars, jewelry, etc. They're hardly concerned about the details of the tax code. Sure, they'd take a tax cut, most people would. But there's more to American life than taxes.

I think most of these brothas would support Obama over McCain any day. They just don't know how.

I don't know. In some areas of the country, that might hold true.....but in others, it may not.

For example, around DC it would never happen (not that Obama needs any additional support here). But in, say, a more liberal city (SF comes to mind), were a player to appear by himself without the implied endorsement of the team, I don't think that he'd be putting his career in that city as risk.

I strongly disagree. NBA, NFL and MLB players are not local, they're global. There is no such thing as a career in just a "city' for star athletes.

Throw MLB out the window.

I think the only way it sould be "safely" done is if a player assisted with a voter registration effort. It's the most neutral thing that can be done (or at least gives a neutral appearance).

Neutral be damned. I'm talking about raw, strong-armed political demands:

"Black people start receiving respect and acknowledgment in media, or your Sunday afternoon ratings will suffer."

:)

That ain't gonna happen.

Can you imagine what would be said if Adam "Pacman" Jones said that to a national audience?

He'd probably be laughed at.

Interesting how you couldn't bring yourself to cite a LaDanian Tomlinson or LeBron James.

Very telling.

And ironically, Pacman Jones has a job. What better example of the power and influence of Black athletes than someone like him being able to negotiate millions of dollars.

That was purposeful: the message from them would be listened to, and well recieved.

The wrong person says it, though, and it's immediately written off.

Unfortunate, but that's our world.

Unfortunate, but that's our world.

Then we have to change it.

I agree.

Did it ever occur to anyone here that the problem is OBAMA? Not the media, not the Clinton's, not the Republican's, not the voters who are yet to be convinced?

Is he in fact, too young and inexperienced.

Did he make his run for the White House too soon?

And you also have to take into account any endorsements they have. So it's not just the MLB, NBA, etc. that they have to answer to, but Nike and Coca-Cola as well.

Perxactly

Eisenhower Presidential Suite Dumped; Renamed Barack Obama Suite

Interesting.

Presumptuous? After all aren't Presidential Suites actually named after...Presidents.

What is that saying about counting chickens?

Well, I guess I'm one of the smart ones. I thought it was Obama's best interview that I've seen. Of course, wanting to have intellectual discourse with someone and wanting them as the president are two different things. Although I sneered when McCain said he wanted to blow Osama to hell, I realized there are those bitter, religious, gun-toting types that were probably cheering at that point. One thing Obama needs to curb and FAST is his tendency to stutter. I'm sure it's a lifetime habit, but it has the unfortunate affect of making him look at though he's uncomfortable and/or struggling for words. One thing most folks expect in a president is decisive leadership and that stuttering tic makes him appear hesitant.

Among conservatives he IS uncomfortable and looking for words. If he says what he truly believes he will reveal himself as a partisan Democrat who has the most liberal voting record in the Senate.

Not good. Especially when you are trying to convince voters that you are moderate!

The ability to quote scripture does not, in and of itself, make a Christian.

When Obama quoted Matthew: "What so ever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."

Are not the just born, miraculously surviving a 'botched' abortion not the epitome of 'the least of my brothers'? How can he reconcile his devotion to this scripture passage with his opposition to the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act?

He can't. So he stammers and stutters and talks around the issue. He is pro-choice. Favoring absolutely no restrictions whatsoever.

NO ID: Co-sign! "McAncient" managed to turn almost every question into a bellicose response! War-monger 2 da end!!! :>) :>)

Whew! He's on a "beat down" mission Deep Breaths!!! :>) :>)

Re-Deem Team: 31 point win over Australia!!! Musta been wearing the Obama's tennis shoes!! :>) :>) :>)

Jill: LOVE the shoe! Have seen it advertised! YES WE CAN!!!!! Walk all over "McAncient"! :>) :>)

So Hillpatine's CRIMINAL disgusting brother meets with Ms Carly (DINGBAT)Fiorina and the McCone campaign in Penn......anyone still think the ClintonS want Obama to win......what a bunch of disgusting trash that Rodham/Clinton clan are;

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com...

I read that. There's no way Billary didn't know Tony Rodham was meeting with the McCain financial backers.

Let's keep it real. The Democrats don't care if Obama wins or not. With him on the ticket, he will draw enough interest to help out downticket Democrats. So even if he loses, they gain greater representation in Congress. That's why the Democrats are twiddling their thumbs and not having Obama's back.

That's also why I don't think his VP pick will be a part of the current Washington crowd or a Billary sycophant.

In case you didn't see Olbermann's special commentary to McCain Monday Night
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/18/countd...

Thanks! :>)

just in: McCain leads in the polls! He is even closing the gap in New York State!

I'm sure there's a poll somewhere that still has Hillary Clinton leading Obama.

Help me out here: why in crack whore hell are you cheering for McCain?

Source?

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idU...

Reuters hommie

Oh so just the one poll out of 12. OK.

i think the gallup has them at a statistical tie. Folks I am nervous. In part because as someone pointed out here, the democratic party does not appear to have Obama's back. Remember that ledge you talked me off of last week, well I am at the window thinking about it again.

Remember when I said pay close attention to the polls that would be released prior to the convention. I knew there would be big swings and that you couldn't trust them. That they would plummet just in time for the Clintons to pressure the superdelegates to reject Baracak in Denver and put them back in power.

Any poll that suggests McCain would be a better steward of the eocnomy than Barack is a poll you can't trust.

This poll was conducted while Barack was on vacation.

Craig,
You said on several occassions that you did not trust those polls and that they would drop and scew peoples opinions. You called that one.

Craig,
You said on several occassions that you did not trust those polls and that they would drop and scew peoples opinions. You called that one.

When has the democratic party EVER had Obama's back? Don't forget how they stood by and let Hillary stay in the race for months even though there wasn't a snails chance in hell she could win.

I guess I'm not expecting Obama to be ahead in the polls. He's a black man for crying out loud! Do we really think a black man's gonna get elected without a ton of drama? People want him to fight back and get tough with McCain, well, same as before, if he comes across as too aggressive, he'll get shit for that, but when he's just normal, he's a punk that needs to grow a pair.

If folks are REALLY that worried, go register some people to vote. Get out there and talk to your neighbors about the issues and why YOU believe in Obama.

But he's getting shit anyway!!!! So he may as well attack.

co-signing Los Angelista.

and there you have it.

People want him to fight back and get tough with McCain, well, same as before, if he comes across as too aggressive, he'll get shit for that, but when he's just normal, he's a punk that needs to grow a pair.

Thank you, los angelista, for saying this.

If folks are REALLY that worried, go register some people to vote. Get out there and talk to your neighbors about the issues and why YOU believe in Obama.

And as you point out right there -- he and his campaign are not the only ones whose actions matter to whether he will get elected.

He's been saying this pretty consistently all along.

That's what I'm talking about.

they tried and I'm still voting for McCain

You have my sympathies.

What I love about SBO is his ability to be On-The-Other-Hand guy. That said, next time I talk to him, I'm gonna holla at him about that "above-my-pay-grade" response. Sure, someone with depth of intellect knows what he was saying (that as a government servant, it's not up to him to ascribe the meaning of life, etc.). But he has to know that he's not dealing with the garden variety intellectual; he's talking to Simple Simon--who, after 3 clicks of his brain's mouse, bails out and calls the political "Help Desk".

Enter, the Republican sound machine who neatly pre-packages his thoughts for him and instructs him to simply (click -->here<-- for your thoughts).

I disagree.

Rick Warren's asked when does a "baby" get human rights. Not embryo, not fetus.

This was a question about the role of lawmakers in protecting the most innocent and defenseless among us...Babies born alive during 'botched' abortions. Obama opposed the Born-Alive infant Protection Act that was created in response to the testimony of Jill Stanek, a registered delivery-ward nurse after she witnessed aborted babies’ being born alive and left to die.

Infanticide is wrong.
No one should support it.

How's that for a Simple-Simon answer.

Rick Warren's question was loaded....everybody knows that. The terms "baby" and "human rights" are designed to trap Barack into positions he doesn't hold.

The terms "most innocent" and "defenseless" are also loaded. What is most innocent? Is a day old infant more "innocent" than a 3 year old child? What is this concept of innocence based on anyway...sin? What is sin? Is the state guilty of late term abortion if it fails to provide adequate food and shelter to a 5 year old, and that 5 year old dies? Is late term abortion more grievous than early term? How late? 9 months? One year?

Truth, S can't handle you. S - you can't handle the Truth!

Ha! Good one.

Obama is not a holy man... a shaman... a guru. He's not even a biologist. He's a Constitutional lawyer and Senator, and he's running for President. He can't, and shouldn't try to answer those philosophical/scientific questions.

Obama should have told Rick: "You have your job, and I have mine. You wouldn't try to lecture me about the Constitution, and I wouldn't presume to lecture you about the soul."

...trouble is, this was the one time O chose not to be wordy.

Sadly, I agree. Its really a shame when the consensus is that Obama needs to dumb down his responses -and lets be real, its dumbing down, its not being "clear" or "precise", its being stupid on purpose so that stupid people will understand. I guess it makes sense why jobs are being shipped overseas.

Exactly. Instead of asking more from the electorate, to you know, understand that we face complex issues that might justify nuance answers, the media criticizes Obama for not making a snappy retort so they can fit it in the soundbite.

RonnieB: I liked that phrase. BUT gotta Co-sign on your rationale!! :>)
Loved the "Simple Simon. . . . " imagery!!! :>) :>) LOL x2 :>) :>)

The problem with Barack Obama is he's talking to America as if they are smart. They are not. The average person is stupid and lazy and needs their thoughts force fed to them. This is why Republicans win over and over again. This is why Hillary gained ground on him at the end of the primary season. This is why textbooks and newspapers are written on an "at best" 9th grade reading level.

MOST PEOPLE ARE STUPID AND LAZY. THEY WANT TO BE TOLD HOW THEY SHOULD THINK AND WHAT THEY SHOULD DO. It's true.

Obama needs to come up with a very simple message and repeat it over and over again, and get his trusty surrogates to repeat it over and over. That's how he will win. Talking about "above my pay grade" and talking in big words ain't gonna work with the average American. We don't want to think, we want to be entertained. Unless Obama and his campaign understand that, he might as well sit down and enjoy watching McCain get inaugerated in January.

The problem with Barack Obama is he's talking to America as if they are smart. They are not. The average person is stupid and lazy and needs their thoughts force fed to them.

Seems to me that all along he has been saying (in his words and in his actions) that he has faith that people in this country aren't stupid, lazy and need thoughts force-fed to them.

That is his gamble, that his faith is well-founded. And as I see it, it is a real gamble. I don't agree with where he's coming from on this. But I see it is where he's coming from in a solid way, and I respect that.

That is one of the things that shows me that change for him is not an empty word.

It seems so deep-rooted that if he lets go of that, he is no longer the candidate he is.

One thing I have noticed about Senator Obama is that he speaks with what he does.

Obama needs to come up with a very simple message and repeat it over and over again, and get his trusty surrogates to repeat it over and over. That's how he will win.

I don't know if a simple message would be outside where he's coming from.

But I do feel that strategy that had as its underlying premise: "Americans are not smart. They are not. The average person is stupid and lazy and needs their thoughts force fed to them." would go counter to some of the deeper reasons why he is running in the first place.

It must be hard for him. I remember there was a point in the primaries where I saw indications (in his actions and also it was reported somewhere, I think, maybe a quote somewhere from one of the Davids) that he was getting some pressure from inside his staff to move off of trying to win it his way.

I felt then and I feel now that if he moves off of the deeper foundations of why he is doing this, it's not worth the win. It's hard to say this because John McCain is terrifying, but that is how I feel.

That said, there are probably multiple approaches and actions that would not require him to do this. I hope and wish him and his staff the best in being strong, flexible, grounded, and creative in the weeks and months to come.

You are asking that Barack becomes something he is not in order to win the election.

What does that sound like?

Barack needs to continue to talk to us like we are adults. Intelligent people will be the swing voters in this election, not the dumb door nails who need everything in simple sound bites.

Barack is talking to intelligent people, and they are listening.

I'm going to suggest that we become his surrogates and attack McCain the way we think he should.

Constructive criticism is fine, but Barack's not going to hear it.

So we are the ones who need to be the attack dogs. Most of us who comment here have our own blogs and networks of communication.

Everytime you are tempted to complain about some lack in Barack's strategy, why don't you instead write up the reponse you want him to make and PUT IT OUT THERE.

Tell all those people on the ground that Barack is not the only fighter in this war. If we are his footsoldiers, then we need to do our part.

I don't mean to offend anyone or censor anyone, but I'm really tired of all this "sky is falling" noise about what Barack is or is not doing right.

Words are powerful. Let's not complicate matters by continuing to throw so much negative energy at Barack.

Throw it at McCain.

We need to stop fearing and starting attacking.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

He doesn't need to dumb down the message, he just needs to simplify it so that Joe Blow the dummy understands it. Because Joe Blow the Dummy's vote is the one he needs.

Instead of saying "Hmm, that's above my paygrade," say "That's up to God, He knows what is best," or something like that. Commercials on TV promoting Tide Detergent don't say "Tide Detergent cleans best because we use oxygen molecules infused with bleach and other cleaning agents, and when these chemicals are agitated it lifts the dirt off your clothes and is carried away by the water."

Tide Detergent simply says "Buy Tide because Tide will clean your clothes the best."

Barack needs to boil his stuff down into easily digested nuggets.

Then I'm going to ask you to do it for him and put it out there.

That's all. ;)

Ha! I would love to see a commercial like that. I'd be sitting there with a giant question sign above my head. I ain't even tryin' to hear that!

That "paygrade" answer was the one time he boiled it down, when he needed to expand on the idea.

Co-sign to the 10th power. I'm not saying that there is no need for concern and vigilance, but for the last couple of days much of the blogosphere has bordered on hysteria. You perfectly articulated my thoughts.

Co-Sign! He made the mistake of over estimating the intelligence of Americans.

How sad and how true.........its actually come down to being ignorant in order to appeal to mass America.

Town: Co-sign! :>) :>) Sad, but true!! :>)

We don't appreciate intelligence in this country. Never have and never will. That's why "nerds" are outcast and smart people are called "eggheads". SMH.

Town: Yep! Sad, but True!! :>)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/...

I posted this in the Tuesday open thread, but Stephanie Tubbs Jones was hospitalized and apparently is still unconcious. This does not sound good at all.

call me the antichrist, but... nooooooooooooo comment!

That's too bad. I read that the cops stopped her car. I hope she pulls through.

i grew to dislike her a great deal, but wish her well in her battle for her health.

The story sounds kind of shady to me.

If she was unconcious driving the car, how did they get it to stop? They claim the car pulled over and when they got to the car, she was unconcious. What's up with that?

Conspiracy theories aside, it sounds like either she had a stroke or is in a diabetic coma.

The newspapers are saying that they believe that she suffered a brain aneurysm. There should be updates soon.

here's a link

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/08/officia...

OK, I thought it was just me.

Maybe she's on the Clinton enemies list...the list that if you google, you'll see a whole bunch of folks associated with the Clintons who have been mysteriously killed....for real...

Town: I wasn't aware that she "threw her support to Obama in June." It wasn't published THAT MUCH!!!! :>) Hmmmmm.

The Smear Gap:
McCain's Attacks On Obama Go To Far. He Knows Better
http://www.newsweek.com/id/154058/output/print

he might know better, but if it is working, do you think he will stop?

Not even if Jesus Christ himself asked him to.