The only qualification that John used in selecting his VP choice was: she was a former beauty pageant contestant. Which makes her over-qualified for the job in his eyes.

The only qualification that John used in selecting his VP choice was that she was a former beauty pageant contestant.

Here’s the thing on Obama’s undergraduate education. I’m not sure why anyone other that die-hard partisans, (like Linda here) would connect “libs’ to the issue of Obama’s (or anyone else’s) education.

It’s not complicated, and it’s not partisan. People of ALL political persuasions study political science, and international relations is a sub-field of political science in the academic world. Political Science ALSO just happens to be a sound basis for anyone intending to further their knowledge in the areas of Constitutional Law, since even THAT has some sub-sub-sub areas of study involved.

Here again, this is not a ‘liberal’ or any other kind of partisan issue. It is what it is. Partisans like Linda aren’t ‘fact checkers’.  They’re partisans and ideologues. Political Science is the study of politics. Period.

So for the record, (and for old partisan ideologues that need to catch up) it’s not ‘either/or’. Barack Obama pursued (and obtained) an undergraduate (that is 4-year) degree in Political Science in a curriculum *specializing* in International Relations. Again, that isn’t particularly complicated. It’s what happens in academics, and as much as Columbia costs, they damn sure SHOULD be offering such specializations and more.

• “As he pursued a political science degree, specializing in international relations, Obama says he was somewhat involved with the Black Students Organization and participated in anti-apartheid activities. “Mostly, my years at Columbia were an intense period of study,” he says. “When I transferred, I decided to buckle down and get serious. I spent a lot of time in the library. I didn’t socialize that much. I was like a monk.”

http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jan05/cover.php

And no Linda, the fact that your daughter has some education in International Relations would NOT alone, make her qualified for President. If that were the case, *I* would be qualified, and not even half as qualified as several thousand others, if THAT was the ‘only’ criteria.

Now if YOU ever paid for any formal education, you need to demand a refund.

What I learned in Sunday School and wittnessed at the Republican Convention:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but [wanting] to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Tim. 4:3-4)

Sabagio Mauraeno, home alone in DeKalb County Georgia and feeling mighty sad.

Seems some of us only have two choices, believe as Pailin believes or go to hell. We must empty our brains of science and reason, or follow the demise of the wolf. Join the Christians for war, choice is not one of the options.

Movie review for The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor staring John McCain.

This is John McCain’s first movie appearance since his cameo in Wedding Crashers. McCain has once again played himself this time starring as the film’s protagonist, the Mummy. It was a clever casting move by the film’s directors, as no makeup was needed to portray McCain as an ancient decaying evil corpse.

The movie begins when McMummy falls out of his chariot and is captured by the Syrians. He spends five and a half years being tortured in a Syrian prison camp and being brainwashed into a secret Syrian supporter. When he returns to Egypt his wife who has faithfully waited for him, falls off a camel and is crippled. McMummy, becomes a politician in the Egyptian parliament and is then involved in a political scandal. He is known as one of the “Cairo Five,” a group of five Egyptian politicians who took bribes and kickbacks to reward lucrative government contracts to a wealthy businessman. McMummy is attracted to the businessman’s secretary who accidentally burns a pile of records that implicated him deeper in the scandal. He starts cheating with her, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s a wealthy meade heiress. McMummy applies for a marriage license with the beer heiress even though he is still married to the woman was crippled in the camel accident. McMummy uses his war record to help people forget about his corruption issues. He styles himself a “maverick” by doing maverick things like voting against a holiday for “Mummy Luther King,” an Egyptian holy man who was murdered for preaching for peace and equality between the Egyptian races. McMummy’s conservative followers aren’t to into things like peace and equality, they love war and so does the McMummy.

McMummy’s political ambitions burn for him to be Pharaoh someday but by the time he gets the opportunity he is snake bit by his political rival a former Pharaoh’s son “Bushotept.” Bushotept is a brain-damaged figurehead but his handlers maliciously slander McMummy spreading rumors of his having a Nubian baby and of being a homicidal maniac from his years in a Syrian prison. McMummy is defeated by Bushotept and he falls in line to serve the new Pharaoh. McMummy lusts for war after war with Egypt’s neighbors and he helps Bushotept gin up a war with Babylon so they can seize its rich resources. A million Babylonians are slaughtered in the war and thousands of young Egyptians are needlessly butchered in Bushotept’s invasion and occupation of the fertile crescent. McMummy is in ecstasy from all of the destruction caused by the war with Babylon. He takes credit for the carnage and urges a war with Persia. After eight years of war and economic ruin from Bushotept and his cronies it’s McMummy turn to run for pharaoh. He is now older then the dead sea scrolls and he can’t even remember how many pyramids he owns.

When it comes time for McMummy to pick a running mate he picks Cleopatra’s religious fanatic sister Sarahpatra. Sarahpatra believes Osiris, God of the dead, wants to burn up the earth asap. She also believes Osiris is against healthcare for children and for tax cuts for the rich. The faithful are delighted with his choice even though she cant find Babylon on a map and is one McMummy heartbeat away from being Pharaoh.

Having read earlier today how, upon becoming mayor of Wasilla, she promptly fired every city employee who appeared in her opponent’s ad, having now listened to a speech dripping with sarcasm as she once again lied about her role in the bridge to nowhere, having heard her tout “drill, drill, drill” in ANWR paying only lip service to alternative energy--alternative energy that McCain has consistently refused to fund--I think I have acquired a pretty good insight into who Sarah Palin is.  Slick, mean, nasty--Dick Cheney in a skirt.

Rowman,

Seems both of us have been in war, the difference one of us believes war should be used in defense and as a last means to archive peace. Never have I schooled you on war, as usual you completely take things out of context and twist them in order not to answer the questions.

We should never have been in Iraq, nor Vietnam.  When can the death stop?  Palin has stated she knows little about the war, even when her son is in it, not a very good reference for someone with half a brain. If my son was in Iraq I would be so on top of the reasons.  Oil, oh that’s right we are their for oil.  Forgot she is on top of it. 

If Obamah said he was the tooth fairy, he would be a liar, yeah Rowan great thought and enlightenment your use of reason is why our county is going down the tubes.

What war?

watching her speech, i think she’s really dangerous. she’s very smart and articulate, and she’s funny. she avoided the usual wedge issues while opening up new ones!  it will be an interesting rest of the campaign. dems, better get out and start talking to people, like NOW.

Frat boy types do things for kicks.  Maybe McCain did everything just for that.  He did the cold start on the Forrestal for kicks.  (I think 911 was basically done for kicks, and the Zionists were set up as patsies for kicks too.  That is the way sociopaths are.)

So much for “country first."Senator McCain made a Freudian slip that perhaps demonstrates how his priorities rank when he told the Republican Congregation:"Take off your Republican Hats and put on your American Hats.” Yeah, I think I know what he meant to say,"we’re all Americans and we take care of our own.”

But somehow, coming from a crowd that believes that they should have exclusive power over deciding what we can read, what we teach and how we worship our God , how and what we should think and the symbols we should wear to be true Americans of the First Order,and therefore qualified to be our President and Vice President,… I very much doubt the sincerity and honesty behind those words. My observation has been that this bunch resents and resists taking care of those Americans who are least capable of taking care of themselves, a population that seems to be growing larger every day.

By rowman, September 3 at 8:40 am #

The counter argument I am hearing is that she does have foreign experience that trumps Obama.

_______________________________________________

The counter to your counter argument that I am hearing is that you believe in the tooth fairy.

The counter argument I am hearing is that she does have foreign experience that trumps Obama.
She governs the only state in the union that borders two countries and is engaged in regular relations with both. She oversees a national guard force that defends against attack from foreign entities while protecting the largest us oil production pipelines. Compelling argument indeed.

Leefeller,
I served in the army as a combat medic and have seen things that have caused grown men to beg for their own death. War is horrible and the only people that really understand it are the ones who have really experienced the horrors of it. Don’t try to school me on the subject. I have poured out my tears on the battlefield.

There are times when we must, there are times when we need not. If it is a matter of defending my family, you or some other unjust in this world I would do it all over again.

from G.Anderson
“It should have been a pledge to take care of our Iraq war veterans...”

this is an excellent post and i agree: the convention turned into a lost opportunity for the republicans to actually take a humbler stance and turn over a new leaf. no such luck. america: love it or leave it.

they wouldn’t even meet with the iraq veterans against the war. when this group of veterans reached the pepsi center, there was a near tussle with security, but a representative of the obama campaign approached the group and agreed to meet with them and take their message to the candidate.

not so mccain. if anyone thinks that mccain will take care of veterans because he was a veteran, think again. better yet, look at his long voting record in the senate on veterans issues. you might have to despair awhile, but then…

you might look to the candidate that has already moved veterans into the 21st century with a new gi bill, one who speaks to veterans issues often and consistently, and one who took on the problems at walter reed and who is deeply concerned about the abundance of posttraumatic stress disorder in today’s military. think especially to the fact that he won’t continue the disastrous war of bush administration, a war that most americans think was wrong to begin with. he won’t continue to break the back of the few, the proud. a man who has shown true compassion in his work with many groups, not the false “compassionate conservatism” like we see with sarah palin who has a pregnant teen daughter yet slashed the budget for teen moms who didn’t have a place to live.

yes, i speak of barack obama. obama is the veteran’s candidate, and i deeply hope that, for their own welfare and that of future volunteers, veterans will vote with their reason rather than their party. we saw many generals and military of all ranks testify to the needed change in leadership for the 21st century military.

enough of the fake compassion of the bush years! it is indeed time for a change, not that of mccain’s ilk, but of obama’s.

obama IS the veteran’s candidate.

Phillip Butler, who was awarded two silver stars, two bronze stars, two legions of merits and two purple hearts, and who served with and was imprisoned with John McCain: “I think I can say from experience that the prisoner of war experience is not a pre-requisite to become President of the United States. I was shot down April 20th, 1965….John McCain arrived in October 1967…John has allowed the media to make him out to be ‘the’ POW, the hero, and in fact there were over 600 just like him who performed just as well.”

“Most of my experience was from living across the hall from him.  He was well known by most of his own classmates and everybody who knew him as a very volatile guy.  He would blow up and go off like a Roman candle at any possible time.  He was very sensitive and touchy.  The world is such a dangerous place and he has shown himself to be bellicose with regard to making other wars in other places in Iraq or making threats with Iran.”

“John McCain is not somebody I would like to see with his finger anywhere near the red button.”

“John McCain’s temperament makes it clear that he’s not cut out to be President of the United States.”

Yet all we hear from Republicans is the POW card.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KjsEs46C70

I think McCain was just having fun . . . he very likely doesn’t plan EVER TO BE President, so the veep naming is a joke, perhaps a bad one.

Why do I not think the Bushitters will let McCain run? Because it is possible he could win, and that would be unacceptable to them. He cannot be controlled like a moron who couldn’t make a decision if he was forced to do so. He might try to do something for the PEOPLE of the USA instead of just big biness, particularly the oil companies.

I don’t exactly know how they will accomplish it, but the Bushitters didn’t go to all this trouble to gain a dictatorship just to let it go to McCain or anyone else, so I am sure that they have a plan to cancel elections until they will be “safe” again, and so we won’t have McCain OR Obama or anyone else but the moron for a long, long time.

Of couse conservatives love Reagan he made them all rich. Who cares what it did to the people, because they don’t have any money.

But lets not forget one thing, the current administration of George W. Bush is the most incompetant and criminal adminstration in the history of this country, approving torture, violating the constitution, violating the Geneva convention, the military code of conduct, and on and on and on.

This convention should have been an apology to the American people, by the Republican party, a time of confession and a time to ask for forgiveness. Above all else a repudiation of George W. Bush’s crimes against the American people and against millions of innoscents all over the world.

It should have been a pledge to take care of our Iraq war veterans, restore the respect for law and to hold accountable all those that violated the trust of the American people.

However this is not going to be the case.

And for this reason, the McCain campaign, along with Palin as vice president represents a continuation of our economic and political decline.

America will never, ever again become a prosperous country either politically or economically, until the corupt political right corrects itself.  Because otherwise they will continue to undermine our political system with criminal acts.

Every day a new and disturbing fact about Sarah Palin, Christian fundamentalist, emerges.

From The New York Times, Sept. 3, 2008:

“Shortly after becoming mayor...Ms. Palin approached the town librarian about the possibility of banning some books…

“Ann Kilkenny, a Democrat who said she attended every City Council meeting in Ms. Palin’s first year in office, said Ms. Palin brought up the idea of banning some books at one meeting.  ‘They were somehow morally or socially objectionable to her’…

“The librarian, Mary Ellen Emmons, pledged to ‘resist all efforts at censorship.,’ Ms. Kilkinney recalled.  Ms. Palin fired Ms. Emmons shortly after taking office but changed course after residents made a strong show of support....

“Ms. Emmons was not the only employee to leave.  During her campaign, Ms. Palin appealed to voters who felt that city employees under Mr. Stein [the previous mayor]...had been unresponsive and rigid regarding a new comprehensive development plan.  In turn, some city employees express support for Mr. Stein in a campaign advertisement.

“Once in office, Ms. Palin asked many of Mr. Stein’s backers to resign--something virtually unheard of in Wasilla in past elections.  The public works director, city planner, museum director and others were forced out.  The police chief...was later fired.”

Just what we need in a VP--a vindictive religious fundamentalist who rejects science and bans books--a Christian Taliban.

“No how.  No way.  No McCain!”

As one can plainly see, the Palin selection was the ultimate diversion from real issues, the war, economy, and keep people away from asking about the new world order and the whole scheme of things. 

What war?  Attack gay rights an issue one can really make seem so important.  Choice, keep the hammer going on that one, chisel away at every corner, they love this one. War? Keep the focus on emotional issues that divide the people, especially so focus on the real problems never happens. Issues which really affect them, What war? Immigration keep it on the back burners for now, bring it out when necessary. Shove the religious crazies out front, they love the attention. What war?  Religion, one of the best tools in the diversion hand bag, coupled with the proaganda media, such a cake walk directing people against their own best interests, simple, keep them fighting between themselves. What war?

George Carlin, miss you guy.

I’ve noted Palin is the reigning “queen of wind fall profits.” so I wonder which segment of the electorate McCain is targeting here. Since McCain has derided Obama’s call for the windfall profits tax, we know it’s not something that interests McCain. (Palin’s Alaska Reaps the Windfall Profits McCain Decries/Robert Scheer)

rowman,

Sound bites, not the truth, if studied reality, you would be a better person.

Bandy the “if” word as gospel, this lack of logic must work very well for you, but any person with half a brain cell is not going to buy it from you and your selected limited thinking. 

Okay, I will pick one for you:

If you said sometime in your life, you had a degree in abstract thought, you would be lying. What kind of argument is that? My only conclusion would be you went to school with Bush. 

What is sad, and I really mean it, you and the rest of you merry group attack Obama, on the most inane made up crap, do you really believe the crap you spew? If you do, then ignorance is a virtue and help us, because you get to vote with a brain like yours.

It is always the simplistic tactic to take the article away from the subject, are you on someones payroll? 

Rowman, do you have an opinion on the war, Palin, Bush, Right wing verses Left, Republicans and Democrat, Independent? How about using reason, to discuss this topics instead of parroting what you are told by Fox not the news. Making crap up Rowman, for reality is not on your agenda. If you voiced your opinion, not what you are directed or scripted should be your opinion, then maybe some of us would respect what you have to say.

“Shouldn’t all nominees for President get a mental health checkup prior to elections?”

this wouldn’t be necessary if john mccain had released his va medical records. he didn’t, only his civilian medical records. as a former va claims adjudicator, i have an inkling that just about everything one would want to know about john mccain’s true health, mental and physical, would be found in those records. people with clout should demand that he release his va medical file.

Thanks for the info Linda. There goes his foreign experience argument…

By Linda, September 2 at 8:07 pm #

If Obama claimed, during any speech, to have a degree in international relations, he is lying.  His degree was in Political Science.

From today’s New York Sun: 
“Federal law limits the information that Columbia can release about Mr. Obama’s time there. A spokesman for the university, Brian Connolly, confirmed that Mr. Obama spent two years at Columbia College and graduated in 1983 with a major in political science. He did not receive honors, Mr. Connolly said, though specific information on his grades is sealed. A program from the 1983 graduation ceremony lists him as a graduate.”

washington post reported today that sarah palin slashed funding for teen moms in alaska. i guess only those families that can afford to have teen moms get the help they so badly. god help those girls that don’t have wonderful upper middle class moms like palin.

Please Cheney, Gramm etc picked her because she was as ambition and Stupid as Mac (who is now a W/HW/Ronny Replica)
They are so ignorant about women- they thought we’d buy that ‘Lipstick’.
Hillary supporters should be outraged. This is NO Hillary!To support Palin is to spit in the face of all Hillary has done to be in the ‘Big Show’,Basically telling her all her hard work was for Nothing- she just needed to be a Beauty Queen,drop a few more kids and she would have won.

the Womens movement has come to a Moment of Truth- are you a Libber or just a ‘Feminist’?
Do you support woman who hold your true values, worked their asses off to get on the ‘Field’. Or are you just so vandictive you will cut your nose off (and the rest of Ours) by supporting an ill prepared, low achiever who has only Gov’ed a state the with the population of a moderately sized Metro city? Who also has No foreign experience, no knowledge of the rest of the 49 states, and puts delivery a speech above delivery a month premature child?
Palin shows Bad judgement as a Mother. I wouldn’t leave my child in her hands, and certianly Not the Country!
Libbers have Long realized some women are not ‘ready for Prime time’,(or Ever deserving of our support) so voting for them only undermines our efforts when we have a true competitor to put forth.
“Feminists” are women who ignored and shunned the Womens Movement, but now have decided “pay backs a bitch”. Catch up ladies, We learned long ago the Folly of just voting for ANY woman, WE WANT THE RIGHT WOMAN!
Palin is Wrong For Women, Wrong for the Country!!
Don’t send ‘Betty Boop’ to do ‘Joan of Arc’ Work.
At this time in our country, It should not be a matter of gender, or color, or religious affiliation...It MUST be who is best equipped to Handle the Job!

Shouldn’t all nominees for President get a mental health checkup prior to elections?

The Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, better known by his nickname Caligula, reputedly named Incitatus as a consul and a priest.

Incitatus was his horse. 

Does John McCain own a horse......?

Reagan presided for eight years as governor of largest state in union. Palin for 20 months as governor of 47th largest state. Arnold S. has had his hands full dealing with a 18 billion shortfall in budget due to economic downturn and can’t get either Demos or Repubs to come together to compromise on a budget. Reagan was heavily involved in Goldwater campaign and conversant on foreign affairs - nil for Palin. She will be learning on the job. McCain has not put “America First” with this selection but his own personal ambitions first. Palin is a lightweight in politics but a darling of the true believers. That is not what America needs.

You will lose on the experience argument. It’s all going to come down to her debating the other old fart.

You can try to carve out “foreign” but it will only undermine Obama. You are basically saying that she wins at everything else.  You also lose on the FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) argument. It goes against the campaigns core, or at least it did… scaring up votes now eh.

The real issue is who would step into the VP slot if anyone were to drop since both have that risk. Your party put Pelosi in that spot. What the hell were you thinking?

hetzer,

Yeah, the puking thing needs to stop.

I like Obama.  I think he might have some smarts.  And, best of all, he doesn’t make me want to puke.

A former POW who served with and was imprisoned with John McCain in Vietnam sets forth compelling reasons why John McCain “is not cut out to be President of the United States.” This is a “must see” video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KjsEs46C70

They use the government to commit every sort of imaginable crime form starvation to war.  They do this knowing that the public will always give the government the blame.  The government is a perpetual Lee Harvey Oswald.

P.T…

Thanks for this tidbit of important info..

By P. T., September 2 at 8:04 am

..."That Obama knows nothing about foreign policy is not true.  As a college undergraduate, he earned his degree in international relations.” ...

~~~~

I didn’t know this, though I should have. Columbia has probably one of THE BEST undergraduate programs in the nation, for International Relations. There are several others as well, including Princeton, though the best of them are the most costly of them..guess that’s why it took him so long to repay his student loans. (I’ve already resigned myself to the fact that I’ll be repaying them for the rest of my natural life.)

Anyway, this explains his commitment to international law and diplomacy, which is what has always been one of the things that I was most impressed with about him. I guess that’s why my own colleagues, (academics young and old in the field of international relations and Human Rights) are overwhelmingly excited about him as well.

Ya know, it’s amazing how the pundits can and always will do their analysis of anything, like this whole narrative from the beginning, that claimed that Obama was limited in foreign policy experience and that was why he’d selected Biden. I’d say that in terms of the knowledge, and the judgment, Obama is a well versed or more than Biden.

Biden certainly has the on-hands ‘experience’ that comes with the longevity of being a member of Congress for as long as he has. That of course is important. But it’s serves primarily to boost the basic theory and conceptual judgment that comes from having studied various points in international law and how nations behave and are expected to behave in the far more globalized environment that exists today. One that we cannot ignore or ‘reverse’ whether we wanted to or not. Technology has changed everything, and I would like to think for the better.

This is what Obama consistently emphasizes, and what I realize now, far too many miss, when he speaks to our ‘interconnectedness’. Indeed it is an interconnectedness here at home, but the same applies to the rest of the world. If we wanna stay OUT of wars, it’s imperative to acknowledge that, and to treat equals as equal. That is the foundational premise of International Law and International Community relations, but the concept has yet to reach it’s full potential, because of our history of both US and Western hegemony in general.

Anyway, thanks for the info on Obama’s undergraduate emphasis. Now I like him even more.

Bad examples, Linda.  Ronald Reagan was a horrible president, and many of the neocons who are responsible for the duplicity that led us into an unnecessary war with Iraq got their start in the Reagan White House.  Indeed, the greed-is-good philosophy that first emerged in the Reagan administration is largely responsible for the nation’s current economic malaise as the gap between rich and poor was greatly accelerated from that point forward so that by now we are beginning to have to learn for the second time a painful lesson that the nation learned in 1929.  Free markets left to their own devices don’t work.  They create horrible inequalities, ruin the environment and ruin the economy.

As someone who resides in CA, I can tell you in no uncertain terms that Arnold is likewise a horrible governor.

So your invoking two individuals who should never have occupied high office is hardly a ringing endorsement for another in Sarah Palin.

Thanks Felicity, now every time I see gov sarah speak i’ll picture her right arm flying up shouting something about the Fuhrer!
But just remember this, “we cannot allow a mineshaft gap!”

Sue Cook:  I seriously question whether you ever supported Hillary Clinton; suspect that you are just a Repug plant.  Your effort to compare Obama’s and Palin’s experience is pathetic.

Obama:  1st African-American student editor of Harvard Law Review, who graduated from that prestigious institution magna cum laude.  Practiced law.  Taught Constitutional Law at Univ. of Chicago Law School.  Served eight years in Illinois state legislature.  Sworn in as a U.S. Senator Jan. 2005--that’s 3 years & 9 months if you can’t count.  Served on Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  Criticized current Pres. for taking the nation into an unnecessary war.

Abraham Lincoln:  A lawyer who served 8 years in Illinois state legislature, two years in House of Rep. before running for and becoming one of this nation’s finest Presidents.  Like Obama, had the wisdom and courage to challenge a predecessor for taking the nation into an unnecessary war.

John McCain:  This privileged son & grandson of powerfully placed admirals had no problem getting into Annapolis, but finished a dismal 894th in a class of 899--and this was long before the man began displaying signs of early senile dementia through his many gaffes, unscripted mumblings and volatile temper.

Sarah Palin:  Despite a BS in journalism with a minor in political science, had to ask what a VP does.  Served as a mayor of an Alaskan hamlet; 18 months as the governor of the nation’s most sparsely populated state.  An religious ideologue to the core, she opposes a woman’s right to choose, insists on “abstinence only” sex education, ignores the First Amendment separation of church and state by seeking to have creationism taught in public schools, and is so anti-environmental that she even denies the science of global warming, as she advocates drilling in ANWR as well as off-shore. 

For you to so much as mention this ideological neophyte in the same breadth as a man whose erudition was so brilliant as to lead even the ultra-conservative Pat Buchanan as the finest acceptance speech he has heard in his life time amounts to political comedy.

Maybe it’s only because the botox was starting to wearing off, but during McCain’s recent impromptu Q&A;on his choice of Palin, his left eye started to twitch, quite violently actually.  Was it in the movie ‘Dr. Strangelove...’ that I saw that same ‘twitch’ in Strangelove’s eye as he pontificated on the merits of the bomb?

Will, is that why Obama has pledged to cut off his earmark requests and Miss Palin requested over two-hundred million dollars in federally funded earmarks for Alaska this year?

I think even the Right is seeing the abundance of possibilities when their candidates are completely void of substance. 

I don’t think we’re going to hear much out of the Repugs for quite a while. 

Thank you, GW, Cheney, Rove, Condi and Rummy, my gawd, the list is endless.  How can you do so much damage in so little time?

Eugene is so right:
“The other thing we learned about McCain is that he is willing to take an enormous gamble based on limited information. He met Palin only once before summoning her for a final interview. He realized he needed to shake up the presidential race, and that’s what he did. But we are reminded, if we did not realize it before, that the three things not to expect from a McCain presidency are caution, prudence and a willingness to always put the nation’s interests above his own.”

A combination of reckless, cynical, unbalanced, in-your-face-foolhardy (reminiscent of Bush/Rove), and inflexibly Machiavellian.

What a good combination for a potential next president, especially after the Bush Plague.

You’re too kind, Eugene.  Lets face it, the U.S. that we all know and love has become dysfunctional in many ways and the primary cause reflects religious extremist thinking not social conservative thinking.  In the end, I believe America will simply have to choose between having a theocracy or democracy.

But you’re right about the issues, particularly the issue of abortion. Our local bishops, for example, say vote your own conscious, but at the same they tell us in no uncertain terms that the abortion issue is more important than any other social issue we face today, and if you support a candidate or political party that does not advocate this you’ve sinned in a big way.

Needless to say, this kind of thinking has opened the gates to hell.  It essentially tells U.S. politicians that they can pretty much do anything they want without consequences, as long as they don’t support abortion. The Bush administration has abused and exploited the crisis shamelessly. His administration’s abuse list just goes on and on: an unjust war, Congressional deception, politicization of the Department of Justice, chronic civil liberties violations, excessive secrecy, torture and long standing treaty violations to name just a few.

As for McCain, I believe it’s become clear that he has opted for a theocracy, which I find rather hypocritical, since his record demonstrates he actually has little respect for the sanctity of life. He has no difficulty voting for illegal wars, singing “bomb, bomb, Iran,” and giving tax breaks to oil companies, but has consistently voted against critical life related domestic programs involving pregnant women & infants, sexual abuse, domestic violence, child care, extended sick leave for parents, Katrina relief, and health insurance programs for middle and low income families.

The reason is because our nations political parties was bought & paid for by Corps long ago; having removed all laws protecting citizens and always offering “it is THIS or THIS” THINKING you have a “say” in anything is diabolically clever: so much so that you never SEE that it is a dictatorship with global domination in mind because they have gotten away with it in the USA for so long, causing millions of deaths even in other nations; it has NEVER been a nation FOR THE PEOPLE; only for the wealthy, and Corps to make $ off of the masses; and YOU are expendable; in fact, they are agressively doing that in every possible way: escalating it to the nth degree; formaldehyde is an extremely hazardous to humans health: being used in soaps, shampoos, paints, air fresheners, PERFUMES, etc; leading to USA being the #1 country in DEATHS of infants; the outcry being so loud; they “program” ABC to have a story: http://www.abcnews.com; in which they say a half truth; then POINT to 12 year old getting no “prenatal” care; EXPECTING you to believe THEIR lie: cuz after all, truth is relative: what THEY say is TRUTH and SHOULD be believed; LISTEN to the authorities we are told; yet in reality they are professionally taught HOW to lie convince & sway: thru emotions, intellect, psychologically. THIS is the way the nations are deceived. This nation is SET UP for YOU to be exploited to the nth degree; and they claim “this is the way democracy works” aren’t you glad we are not like Russia? Or China? or WHATEVER? WHO comes to KILL, STEAL, and DESTROY? the Islams call the USA devils: well, the DEVIL is a LIAR; and he comes to kill steal & destroy;what is going on in the USA was TOLD back in Reagan’s day; it is “not” a sudden happening; but a laid out plan of attack; and HOW it would be played out. Remember after the nomination Clinton went to Calif with Diane F.? and both Clinton & Obama went to a place that started with a B? Golly gee! LOOK at Denmark, Sweden, Australia; google floride and FIND how many nations have banned & why; WHAT americans need to do, is to RISE UP in solidarity for the PEOPLE and the PLANET of THIS COUNTRY and all the other countries on the planet; cuz the same monsters here are trying to go globally cuz they have gotten away with it in the USA for years.

Willmeister, how can you say she will get nowhere in Washington when she already knows how to appropriate twenty-six million dollars in federal earmarks to her town? The lady knows how to squeeze taxpayer’s money for her benefit without actually having to show the real cost to her constituents.

Additionally, don’t you want your representatives to take the positions Americans want? Why would you be upset with a candidate falling in-line with the American mainstream? Obama’s life experiences show me he has had the benefit of being exposed to truly hard-working Americans as opposed to John McCain’s castle of ill-gotten wealth.

Americans elect Representatives not Royalty. Why don’t people realize this fact anymore?

The hypocrisy of McCain and the Republican’s is overwhelming at this point. His “America First” slogan sure rings hollow. Obama picked the second best candidate for vice president. Palin has to be so far down the competency list that they did not even vette her properly which is why all this crap is coming out now. Now the party is embarrassed and the country is put at risk if McCain gets elected. The Democrats and the comedians are going to have a field day with this choice. And Palin has show her arrogant side by putting political ambition first at the expense of her family.  And doing this after the Republican’s made such a big deal about Obama being “ambitious”. Just imagine if the tables were turned and the Democrats had made a choice like this. Republican’s would have trashed Obama and his family. And if the Republican’s are so offended by the left’s attack’s on Palin, then John McCain should publicly repudiate Jerome Corsi for the slime book about Obama. So, I have zero sympathy for the plight the Republican Party now finds themselves in. They brought all of this on themselves.

he didn’t “hang” with Ayers.  He met Ayers after Ayers had become a well-respected member of the community and a professor and only knew him from the hood . . .He was barely born when Ayers was being a radical . . .

Rezco seems m