"The South didn't lose the war. It went underground until the Republicans showed up."

Bob - Permission to use that?

Unfortunately, I think the problem is the war on terror is a long and generally unglamorous process, and one that the current government is unwilling to fight. Their ideology requires major victories, glamorous military operations, major headlines, etc., causing people to rally around the cause. This war won't be won that way, and attempts to do so will only undermine the strategic objective. This is why we went after Iraq, and why we're now going after Iran. We declared victory in Afghanistan, but found hunting down every last terrorist would be a long and tedious process, so we needed to find another target to score a win against, whether it was directly related or not, and our old stand-by bad guy Hussein fit the bill and those in power wanted to take him out anyways. Now that we're bogged down in a long and tedious process in Iraq, we need a new enemy to focus our attention and firepower on, regardless of the fact that Iraq and Afghanistan are falling apart, if the nation's attention is focused on Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan won't matter so much, at least until the next guy's in office.

Salafism (a broad form of Sunni Islamic fundamentalism of which Wahhabism is a subsect) has always been a minor sect in Islam and remains so today, but it is and has long been disproportionately powerful because of its hold on Saudi Arabia. To enter the Kaba'a in Mecca you must be Wahhabist, and Wahhabism is the official sect of the Arabian state dating back to Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab's alliance with Muhammad ibn Saud in the 1780's. I tend to view their move toward more power and a greater share of power in the Arab world as reactionary to the Saud family's greater reliance on the West following the discovery of oil than the other way around. Once the Sauds had money and allies, they no longer were as reliant on the Wahhabists to keep the country in line and thus a break between the two began, one that the Wahhabists are now winning because they have the people on their side. The house of Saud is now stuck in the middle in a no win situation.

Michael,

Your post, and your hierarchy of terrorism is quite interesting. One thing I would add is which branch of Islam that we are dealilng with in terms of terrorism, which is Wahhabism:

'(Arabic: الوهابية, Wahabism, Wahabbism) is a Sunni fundamentalist Islamic movement, named after Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab (1703-1792). It is the dominant form of Islam in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The term "Wahhabi" (Wahhābīya) refers to the movement's founder Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab. It is rarely used by members of this group today, although the Saudis did sometimes use it in the past. The currently preferred term is "Salafism". In the past, they usually called themselves the Ikhwan, the Brethren. Wahhabists see their role as a movement to restore Islam from what they perceive to be innovations, superstitions, deviances, heresies and idolatries.

In 1924 the Wahhabi al-Saud dynasty conquered Mecca and Medina, the Muslim holy cities. This gave them control of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage, and the opportunity to preach their version of Islam to the assembled pilgrims. However, Wahhabism was a minor current within Islam until the discovery of oil in Arabia, in 1938. Vast oil revenues gave an immense impetus to the spread of Wahhabism. Saudi laypeople, government officials and clerics have donated many tens of millions of US dollars to create religious schools, newspapers and outreach organizations.'

So you see, all roads lead back to oil. And the center of this movement is Saudi Arabia, which finances the madrassas, the state schools which teach this movement to young men. It was, after, all, young Saudi men--Wahabbists -- who attacked us on 9/11. It is Saudi Arabia which is the locus of terrorism in the Middle East. It is the single largest state sponsor of terrorism against US--not Iran. Saudi, followed by Pakistan.

Yet, they are called our allies. When their Princes visit us, our president holds their hand and strolls with them in the garden. Have you seen the photos, zouk? He kisses their cheeks. After 9/11, the first action taken by the US government was to ground all aircraft--except those government craft which were delivering the Saudi royalty home, so they would be out of danger. You see, many of them have vast estates --in Texas.

The next move our government made was to clear all our troops out of their country -- because they asked us to. We had our major Mideast presence there, a permanent population of perhaps 10,000 troops. When we moved them, we needed a new base. We chose Iraq.

And even as we speak, the Saudis jerk us around, controlling the price of oil and teaching their young to hate us. Why? It distracts their attention from hating the way their government cheats them. And it works for our government too -- see the way you little righties are getting all worked up over Iran? Our government wants you to.

Now, the 'problem' in the Mideast is that the Saudis, once the world's largest producer of oil, are tapping out. Their fields are depleting. That brings us to Iraq and Iran. Iraq has major reserves, but we have discovered --too late -- that their infrastructure is rotten and will need tremendous investment to produce. Iran -- on the other hand--with the world's largest untapped reserves -- is modern, industrialized, and producing prodigiously. But--their oil is nationalized--which strikes terror in the heart of oilmen--for they can cut it off at will. Plus, they control the Straits of Hormuz--a narrow sea passage along their coast which can easily be bottlenecked and choke off the major oil shipping route.

This is why Iran is our 'enemy', you see. Why your president will be speaking at the UN today, warning the world of the 'dangers; it presents. But the rest of the world knows the 'danger' is to oil profits. It is only the simple, the gullible, the credulous, like 'bhoomes' and 'zouk' who fall for this propaganda. And so it should be them, that goes to fight their bloody war. I urge all of you who are shaking in your boots in fear of Iran, to enlist now. Exxon Mobil needs your bodies.

Montgomery village mom,

I'd simply like to take a moment to point out that Steele is not a moderate at all. I can't think of one moderate view he stands for. He is trying to hide his views on abortion, you won't even find that listed as an issue on his website. Under social security, he talks about reform but doesn't say if he supports privitization or how he will reform the system. Steele is a conservative and the people of Maryland will see that long before the election. Cardin will win big.

JEP, my answer to your question is no there is no way to be certain that isreal will not be poisoned and that is no speculation.

Also, I love the talk about how Ehrlich and Steele won the gov's and lt. gov's race and how that shows Steele can win. I've got news for people who think this. Ehrlich's gonna LOSE TOO!!

I am an African-American voter, I will not vote for Steele.

damn

I leave all of you folks to your own devices for a day and all you manage to do is confirm that American government is a bastion of rich white guys with a couple of perky muffy-type ladies thrown in.....

And all of this debate about whether or not Blacks are smart enough to do this or that.

C'mon

OK. We all know that the Republican conservatives we extinct.....I mean anihilated under Goldwater. Sorry 1A318. Great thinker? No Probably better pilot that politician.

And William F. Buckley Jr. His nose could cut a streak on any dirty ceiling and still spout 12 dollar words that even his most conservative fans didn't understand. And the conservatives accuse the LIBERALS of being elitist.

Then what was left of the Grand Old Party was allied with the bed sheets and horses faction.....I mean Dixiecrats..... and Damn....The South didn't lose the war. It went underground until the Republicans showed up.

140 some odd posts an so little of any value.

I'm an embarrassed Republican too.The guy in the White House is a self centered guy with a Messiah Complex.

Of course. If I were a Democrat, I wouldn't have much to be proud of either.

Tomorrow, before Chris goes off on the relevance of changing Pluto's name to the primary election in South Dakota,Let's talk about Steele's qualifications before Dick CHeney can bomb Iran in October.

Seriously folks. These guys are dangerous....even for us registered Republicans.

For the record: the Maryland GOP has not once but twice nominated conservative African American candidates for USA Senate. In neither election did the Republicans crack the 40% barrier.

"One reason radicals are able to recruit young men, for example, to become suicide bombers, is because of hopelessness. One way to defeat hopelessness is through literacy, is to giving people the fantastic hope that comes by being able to read and realize dreams." - George W. Bush, Sept 18, 2006

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/18/AR2006091800512.html

Soft Power.

Zouk, you are so ignorant that you are FOR soft power and you don't even know it. Unless, that is, you disagree with Your Leader. [note: of course, he prob hates reading and wouldnt be for combating literacy if Laura didnt have a gun to his head.]

CBC just called the New Brunswick election: it's a Liberal majority!! Power changes hands in this province of 730,000 east of Maine. With 1/3 of the votes in, the Liberals are leading or elected in 31 ridings, to the Progressive-Conservatives' 23. That leaves just 1 unaccounted for. HOORAY!! This portends well for upcoming elections here.

Liberals are now leading or elected in 27 ridings, PCs in 23. There are 55 total. Five PC Ministers are trailing so far.

I was really hoping for a Remington Steele reference when I read that blog post. Shucks.

Michael: You R beginning to make more sense than I do and that is the thing that scares me about these folks in The White House.

OOPS! Math error! 30% of 28% is 8.4%, not 5.6%. That's 252,000 voters total, or 126,000 assuming uniform 50% turnout. Still, that leave Steele 70,000 votes short.

So far CBC reports the PCs leading in 22 ridings and the Liberals leading in 20 in New Brunswick. That leaves 13 other ridings unaccounted for.

You know, I was just looking over the 2002 MD Gov. results, and PG County gave Townsend (D) a much bigger victory over Ehrlich (R) than Montgomery County (which is similarly Democratic, but white). If Steele wins every Republican vote, every Independent vote, and 30% of the black vote, he still loses by 110,000 votes. He'd need to flip another 55,000 to win. And how does he do that when in all likelihood, the independents will favor Cardin and a handful of white Republicans will cross over to Cardin? Not to mention that black voters will turn out to vote in lower proportions than white voters.

Gaithersburg: Klobuchar is ahead by TWENTY-FOUR points??? Damn, time to take MN of the Line, Chris. Stick a fork in Mark Kennedy, he's done.

Results from today's provincial election in Nova Scotia should be coming any minute now. So far the Liberals are getting 52% of the vote to the governing Progressive-Conservatives' 43%. No ridings have been called yet. http://www.cbc.ca/nbvotes2006

Chris, why did you leave out the numbers from the study the Post reported on earlier this summer which found that white Democrats running against black Republicans gain a few percentage points from otherwise right-leaning white Republicans and Independents?

I want to point out some other numbers. Even if Steele could get 30% of Maryland's black vote, that's 30% of 28% (since blacks are 28% of Maryland voters). That comes to 5.6% of the total vote. If we take 5.6% of 3 million voters (the totals of the party registration figures Chris gave above), that's 170,000 votes. And that's assuming everyone votes, which they don't. Unfortunately, we know that white turnout is higher than black turnout, further reducing the value of this hypothetical black crossover vote for Steele.

Now, if we assume MD turnout will be 50%, without accounting for racial disparities in voter turnout, Steele's 30% of the black vote comes to 85,000 votes. By PERCENTAGE, Maryland voters are registered 57% Democratic, 30% Republican, and 14% Independent. The difference between 57% and 44% (if Steele got every Independent vote) is far more than 85,000 votes. In fact, it's 195,000 votes.

My conclusion: getting 30% of the black vote, and every Independent vote, still would not win this race for Steele.

http://sandwichrepair.blogspot.com

Must have been a slow news day. No way Steele wins and no way does the AA community support him. Steele DID not provide Erhlich a boost in Baltimore or PG County in 2002. Erlich won because Townsend was such a bad campainer and she was was Spendenings LT. Governor. I believe this is a general consensus of both the GOP and Dems. That is probably the only thing that could be agreed upon. I dont share any of the optimistic views of the GOP I believe is peddling this drivil to the national media nor would I be concerned if I were a Democrat ( I am registered Indy and vote that way in Maryland)

Opinion #1; Steele does not have any track record to run on and has never taken a position on anything or voted on anything in his life. Here's an obvious fact, if his candidacy was so long on potential why can't he raise more money in Maryland. All his money is from the folks he says he will outlaw giving to (i.e special interests, can anyone say hypocrit).

Opinion #2: Steele has image problem. He is not as articulate and does not have the charisma needed to convince a skeptical voter he is their answer.

Opinion #3; O'Malley will carry the Dem ticket period. The AA vote is not an active participant as one might think. This race will be decided by the intensity of the Montgomery County voters who are active and can not believe what Bush and GOP has done to this country. For every potential Erlich voter there is an outraged Democrat who will actually vote. Look at the total Dem and total GOP vote last Tuesday in races that for the most part were non-competitive. THat is the true reflection of what will happen in Nov.

Opinion #4 DC News Market represents VA, DC, and MD. Any bets on the race in VA with MR Racist Allen giving an assist to Dems in Maryland. Steele can run but can not hide that he does not represent the interest of AA in MD. His philosphy is closley aligned with Karl Rove, George Allen, and Bush.

Opinion #5: AA voters see through this. They absolutely can not stand Bush and a vote for Steele is an endorsement for Bush and Allen. AA voters are simply smarter than the GOP think they are. Running someone of the same ethinicity (sp) is dumbing down these voters.

"Great idea kill them with aid, education, alliances and some tough love. that sure sounds menacing. If I were a jihadists bent on destruction of the great devil, I would stop after that.

The thinking world is laughing at you."

No, the key to terrorism is what we call "passive supporters." These are the nonaligned people of the world who don't like terrorist and find their methods abhorrent, but understand and somewhat sympathize with them because they hate us too.

The pyramid of a terrorist organization is as follows:

Leadership (small group, planners, don't carry out attacks)
Active Cadre (carry out attacks)
Active supporters
Passive supporters

It is this group that represents the future of terrorism because it doesn't take much to sway them from passive supporters to active supporters- those who give aid to terrorist organizations, and then to active cadre- those who carry out the attacks. To beat terrorism, you need to undercut it from the bottom by eliminating their base of support. Until then, new terrorists will constantly sprout up to replace the ones we kill. We need to tarkget the top to keep attacks from occurring, but the war is won or lost at the bottom, and we're only paying lip service to it at this point, it should be where the bulk of our effort is.

Drindl, I am amused that you finally found a single Dem on this site that you consider has a brain. It was a long time coming. those comments from Michael indicate he has a viewpoint but the motivation behind it, although admirable, is not effective against the enemy we are fighting.
How many times does the playground bully have to hit you before you stop talking and hit back. Most of us learned this in Kindergarten. Maybe you Dems should consider repeating a grade. Unless you like having your lunch money taken over and over.

Maybe someday, I have other committments right now

Great idea kill them with aid, education, alliances and some tough love. that sure sounds menacing. If I were a jihadists bent on destruction of the great devil, I would stop after that.

The thinking world is laughing at you.

no time now, but had to comment on 2 new gems from bhoomes:

"Republicans give blacks real power" - !

and (by violating our civil liberties, mortgaging the country, bleeding jobs overseas etc.) assuring us that "the president is just trying to protect the country."

apparently, the bhoomster and I have been following different news stories over the past 5 years. tell me, b, does Cheney still shoot someone in the face in Bizarro America?
______ ______ ______

A plan for victory will require a comprehensive strategy to include increased foreign aid, increased education both at home and abroad, new global partnerships and alliances, a new focus on developing intelligence to better isolate threats and the prescision weaponry to destroy them as they emerge. This will take time, effort, and the kind of strategic vision that is completely lacking with the neocons whose answer to everything is shoot first and ask questions later.

--oh god, michaael -- you have a brain. could you run for office? I mean seriously?

I do not blindly follow Bush. I do support the policies on the War on terror. I am sympathetic to your conservative principles. But in the states of MD or RI, it would be impossible to elect a person you desire. In politics, you must make some compromises. It is important to maintain the chairmanships in the house. the Senate is not threatened and is moving closer and closer to a 60 vote majority thanks to the pitiful characters representing the Dems these days. but I don't care much for chaffee's votes or Snowe, or spector, or Mccain or most of those RINOs. but they are from squishy states and would lose otherwise. they have to represent their people. the good news is that the most important vote of the congress, they put Hastert and Boehnor in charge. If you think they are bad, consider what will happen if the Dems take over. More spending (can you imagine), less economic freedom, surrender policy on the war. We must fight within the system, send the message, but win. Laffey lost in RI - get the point?

"going on the offense reduces but does not eliminate the threat of a future attack. Is this really so difficult to understand. Maybe you crybabies should leave policy to the adults."
No, this is just the problem, it doesn't necessarily reduce the threat. It only does if it is precise, propoerly targeted, and achieves the effect of reducing the terrorist threat. It does us no good to kill low level terrorists by the handful if in the process we turn the world against us. War with Iran would mean US forces occupying everything from the Indus to the Tigris rivers, it's too much for us to try to hold, leaves us extremely vulnerable both at home and abroad, and only serves to further the interests of bin Laden and his networks both as a propoganda tool and by reducing our ability to hit back at him. This is exactly why we are losing this war and no safer today than we were on Sept 11th.

A plan for victory will require a comprehensive strategy to include increased foreign aid, increased education both at home and abroad, new global partnerships and alliances, a new focus on developing intelligence to better isolate threats and the prescision weaponry to destroy them as they emerge. This will take time, effort, and the kind of strategic vision that is completely lacking with the neocons whose answer to everything is shoot first and ask questions later.

KingofZouk

I should be insulted. You called me a lilly livered Democrat.

All day I have been exchanging my thoughts on the superiority of my conservative principles, but grousing about how the current president and most of Congress who seemingly have abandoned those principles in their quest to maintain the current level of over-spending, mismanaging our military might and putting my party in a position to lose both houses to the democrats.

You seem to support President Bush blindly. You must be one of those coat tails republicans who switched parties under President Reagan and don't understand the history of great conservative thinkers Like Barry Goldwater and William F. Buckley Jr.

My whole point in the Steele blog has been that the current Republican faux conservatives are caving to election year pressure and backing candidates who in other worlds could easily be Democrats-all in the name of pursuing the moderates.

appreciation of cultural differences?? Yeah that will really fix their little red wagons. I am shaking in my boots at the thought of that weapon being unleashed. you have no understanding in the least. but it is good that you are proclaiming this foolishness so that the voters can rid us of your suicidal techniques. I sure can appreciate my women wearing a burka, not having bank accounts, not driving, not working and being sold into slavery. I can't think of a better goal for my daughter. I am glad we had this talk. I feel much better now.

>>>there have been two examinations of price gouging and no evidence was ever found of any widespread or corporate price gouging

By who? an independent commission, or by recipients of lobby money?

>>>It is easy to carp but you never offer anything of substance, same as the Dem leadership.

Renewable fuel portfolio.

http://wistechnology.com/article.php?id=3273

You Lose! :) :) :)

1A318 sed: "If we don't get tough, these bad guys will destroy everything we stand for. ... The current administration has made a total shambles of respect for the US as world power."

You are arguing against yourself. "Getting tough" how? With military force? Everyone in the defense establishment that have NOT been corrupted by the kool-aid neocon ideology have indicated that to WIN the War on Terror, we need to focus on so-called SOFT-POWER. Not military power, but: human intelligence, humanitarian action, diplomacy, appreciation of cultural differences and promotion of regional economic stability.

"Democracy at the point of a gun," as this Bush Administraition practices, is without doubt the most ludicrous, insane, idiotic, insensitive, and anti-American policy in our government's history.

Imho, stick with the latter of your two points and you will start to make some sense. That being said, I do appreciate your comments b/c I like debating matters of substance with rational folks from the Right, and that is a fairly rare thing on this blog given the handful of neocon wankers that come here every day.

going on the offense reduces but does not eliminate the threat of a future attack. Is this really so difficult to understand. Maybe you crybabies should leave policy to the adults.

As usual no solid responses to my posts, just name calling, threats about censorship and non-factual chanting. do you really expect to win an election with that approach. It didn't work for Gore, Kerry or Air America. what makes you think it will work now?

I personally don't support government largess to corporations. but many do, especially when it comes to "energy independence" and to the extent that it can be tied to some American future security, I guess it is not the worst thing our tax dollars could support.
Fat and bald - you love to sprinkle your posts with spin and deceit. For example, there have been two examinations of price gouging and no evidence was ever found of any widespread or corporate price gouging. Show me a fact for this, if you dare. Otherwise refrain from dabbling in economics, which you are clearly very poorly qualified to offer opinion upon. your opinion does not policy make. I suppose we should just eliminate all those union coal worker jobs according to you? It is easy to carp but you never offer anything of substance, same as the Dem leadership.

We have no idea whether a threat exists? Really, no idea at all? I guess we should just go back to sipping our lattes then until that mushroom cloud actually appears over my city. some of us actually do have an idea. I know how foreign an idea is to your way of life.

the GOP leadership has taken the war to the enemy and thus prevented another attack here, or were you not paying attention the last five years. Perhaps you'd prefer spending your time in your backyard bomb shelter instead. that is the defensive posture advocated by Dems. I prefer to walk in the sunshine.

"all it will take is one more attack for America to go rabid vengeful"

I thought we were safe thanks to Bush's wonderful leadership, why do you expect another catastrophic attack?

start ignoring him again. 'surrender weasels' -- sandbox time is over, time to get back to kindergarten. ...

Zouk, no profit margin numbers you throw out can dignify the federal government giving Big Oil BILLIONS in tax breaks to "drill everywhere."

Esp while we are at war with oil producing countries. Esp when these companies show blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of Americans (Texas City, Alaska Pipeline, massive health risks due to air pollution from coal-fired power plants, massive price gouging, etc) and local indigenous populations around the world (Nigeria, Venezuela, Sudan etc).

Esp when executives from these private companies hold THE HIGHEST positions in our Federal Government that is supposed to be OF the people, BY the people and FOR the people.

Zouk, go home. You lose again.

Is he as myopic as you are to the hazards of that situation?
I am glad the President is focused on OUR safety, instead of terrorists rights, which is what the Dems stand for. since when do we not hang spies intent on murdering non-combatants?
Since you lilly-livered Dems took over the papers. not for long. you are losing this debate. all it will take is one more attack for America to go rabid vengeful. too bad, thanks to you surrender weasels, we will have to sacrifice more innocents to learn that lesson.

Maybe you should check the IAEA report, which was absolutely correct on Iraq.

I am willing to listen to their report, are you willing to risk the lives of another 20K American servicemembers, not to mention the risk to the security of the US by embarking on another war at this time (which would likely result from missile strikes) over a threat that you have no idea whether it exists or not, but that you are willing to blindly follow the GOP leadership into who have proven so knolwedgable in the past?

Yockel

"There is no danger of an Iranian nuke within the next eighteen months."

Think October.

Think Third Week. (just close enough to take control of the Press, Just far enough to have Karen Hughes direct spin control)

Think Conventional bunker busters not nukes.

Up until the Lebanon misadventure, I would have said Israeli aircraft. Now I'd say it'll be American Stealth bombers

Not a pretty sight. Of course 'sight' is a realtive concept when a president is very focused to the point of being myopic to anything that might come out of that sort of escapade.

so now the CIA, who provided info that Iraq had WMD, is to be fully trusted. It would be nice if you Dems could say the same thing two days in a row.
Remember that the CIA and others misjudged USSR's nuke development, Pakistan, Israel, India, etc. Yet you are willing to risk your life on this rosy picture.

what need, according to you, warrants "starting" a war?

Yockel, I had no idea you had access to highly classified Iranian information and would be willing to print it here. Are you the new conduit for US spies?

Stock market nearing an all time high- about where it was when Bush took office- quite an accomplishment.

Corporate profits up 71%, median household income down .5% since 2001. Something else to be proud of.

XOM profit margin TTM - 11.32 % what a rip??? I found 73 companies with profit margins in excess of 90%. get a grip on reality before you go spouting meaningless accusation based in spin. there are 1260 with profits over 20%. Maybe we should regulate all this. sounds like a typical Dem (dumb) idea.

Krauthammer is full of it. There is no danger of an Iranian nuke within the next eighteen months. May be, within the next ten years. That gives us a lot of time.

All the disarmament experts, including the CIA, agree with that assessment. Krauthammer is pulling a Cheney on us when he argues that there is an imminent threat.

It would be folly to start another war without need, especially since the costs are going to be tremendous.

KOZ

Is that cash on cash return?
and is that pre tax or after tax?

Risk adjusted, I think many companies would be apprehensive to deal with those kinds of returns.

Oh dear - stock market is nearing all time high. America hasn't been attacked. the economy is doing splendidly. Our people are free and well-off. those dastardly Republicans. curse them. they caused all this. Ha!

Let's consider the math. XOM is the world's largest company trading in the world's most traded commodity. for you math challanged souls, that means it is quite easy to have the world's greatest profit, even at a measly 8-10% duh! but then again, clear thinking was never your strong suit. Try to keep away from Economics, it only makes you tense.

Krauthammer is the textbook example of relying on logical fallacies to build your case. His articles are full of strawmen argument and false dichotmoies. His current column suggest our options are to bomb Iran or to do nothing, ignoring the thousands of options in between. His Sep 8 column is all about the strawman, ignoring the key plan for withdrawal, strategic redeployment to focus on terrorism while separating the sectarian strife in Iraq from the War on Terrorism. That's all he ever does. It's well written and appears well though out, if you ignore the facts and are completely ignorant of the topic.

I meant 'Iran' not 'Iraq"

drindl

We are involved in a war right now. Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Somalia.

If we don't get tough, these bad guys will destroy everything we stand for. That's why it's important to take aggressive pro-active steps.

That's the problem I started with this morning. The current administration has made a total shambles of respect for the US as world power.

They've lost sight of the importance of a conservative approach to defense. Strong Military. Well managed economy with minimal governmental interference in social issues and personal afairs.

That's why we have no choice but to bomb Iraq.

And on Krauthammer, I always thought his information was well reasoned. It's not like the cartoon type like Garrison Keeler and Molly Ivens.

I would trade you one Victor David Hansen for both of them.

Don't throw facts at KoZ, they only serve to undermine his points

Highest. Profits. In. History. But that's just a coincidencve.

Btw, here's a devastating editorial about Lieberman..

http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17211766&BRD=985&PAG=461&dept_id=565859&rfi=6

Oh by the way, this year Exxon Mobil made higher profits than any company ever has. Ever. And you recall, of course, how high the price of gas was. But that's just a coincidence, of course.

I said at the very beginning that it would be a very difficult race for an r in MD. But that fact that it is so close with those demographics highlights the bankruptcy of Dem ideas. they are defending Senate seats that should be a cake-walk - like NJ. It's going to be a rough 10 years for Dems. Maybe after another 8 years under the new R president, you Libs will come to your senses and start making sense.

I recall many polls showed Steele either ahead or within the margin of error against Mfume, but that's moot now that Cardin is the nominee. Most recent surveys have shown Cardin beating Steele with a high-single digit margin (5-10 points).

And what's with this "befuddled" business about Montgomery County? (well, aside from last week's voting screwups). Yes, I've heard of the Eastern Shore, and it has less than half of Montgomery's population. So Steele could rack up towering margins there (and there's no guarantee he will) and it won't offset the Democratic vote in Montgomery.

MoCo effectively put Cardin over the top in the primary (he won it 2-1) and could very well do the same for him in November.

Anyone who is impressed by the Steele commercial is a fool. It's nothing but a tacky appeal to black voters -- just like the tacky ads for Eastern Motors, Senate Insurance, ambulance chasing attorneys, and similar businesses.

If you believe that 10% profit in oil is outrageous but that 15% profit in publishing is acceptable, you might be a Dem.

'but you should continue to tell yourself it never happened. You might also try covering your ears and shouting "I can't hear you..."

LOL -- Amy Ridenour? You expect me to take anything that deranged, discredited psychopath has to say seriously? I mean, please. I was talking about a credible witness, like a media source, not a rabidly partisan liar...

I am so sorry to see people of intelligence brainwashed by the oil barons and neo-cons [sorry, same thing]. Some country MIGHT pose a threat to us -- someday -- and so we should start a war with them now. Weapons of mass destruction! Mushroom clouds! Be very afraid!

C'mon people. You've heard it all before... from the same people with the same motives with the same phony, ginned-up 'evidence'. Are you really going to fall for it AGAIN?

Krauthammer is one of the neo-con stars -- go back and read his lies about Iraq. Every column he's writing now is simply a cut-and-paste of what he wrote then. It was all lies then and it's all lies now. Guess what kind of stock he's invested in?

It's time to stop soiling ourselves in fear everytime Exxon Mobil needs the bodies of a few thousand of our kids for their latest sacrifice on the altar of outrageous profits. Please, wise up.

On this site chanting overcomes facts everytime. A debate of facts and reason would leave the denizens of this site like defenseless babes. that is why they always stick with insults, conspiracies and the like. can you believe that all elections have been stolen? you might be a Dem. do you believe that someone can manipulate world oil prices for political gain? then you might be a Dem. do you beleive that George Bush is more of a threat than murdering terrorists? You might be a Dem. do you think raising taxes is good? do you think a lousy education is right?

A good ad or two won't buy the hearts and votes of Marylanders. We actually think. We read and we vote in large numbers in the General Election. I don't think Steele and his hypocracy about the Republican Party (I'm a Republican but I'll distance myself from them for convenience but take their money. Oh and I'll talk against them behind their backs.) will work. Besides, has he really ever done anything for a living? Remember Kathleen was a Lt. Gov. too and we rejected her. Also, why did he always drive around in a big SUV with a security car in addition. He's Lt. Gov., not king.

This column was simply about covering both sides of the bet. Will Steele win? Or will Cardin? Your defintive take on this is "Cardin starts the general election as a favorite, but there is no question that this is a winnable race for Steele as well."
In other words, you don't have a real conviction on this race, even though it's right in your back yard.
I'd recommend that you review some actual precincts in Baltimore and Prince Georges, see how Ehrlich/Steele did, and ask yourself if it's really plausible that a Republican -- even a so-called Black Republican -- has a constituency he can rely on.
You were right when you said Cardin's the favorite, but you gave no reliable argument for saying it's winnable for Steele.

"'Does anyone else remember the OREO COOKIES tossed at him? That is disgusting and the Democrats/liberals who did it should be ashamed of themselves.'

Here we go with the republican smear campaign again. This old canard. Prove it, lady. Show me a link. This never happened."

here's a link:
http://www.nationalcenter.org/2005/11/michael-steele-oreo-incident.html

but you should continue to tell yourself it never happened. You might also try covering your ears and shouting "I can't hear you..."

If you feel the need to just stick to the numbers, then your analysis would not allow for the current governor of MD. He is a R in case you forgot. and Steele won that election too. I guess there must be a few crossover voters. Ever heard of the Eastern Shore? 100% R and not befuddled like MoCo.

all this talk of no-bid contracts demonstrates a clear non-understanding of government contracting. do you still think we should solicit bids for every carton of milk we buy? Please take an econ class and then come back, your ignorance is showing.

Let's see - Krauthammer is a DR and makes his living by offering his opinions. You - his detractors, give free and bad opinions on a hopelessly Lib blog. doesn't sound comparable to me. but then again, you have already demonstrated a lack of understanding on Economics. Must be a Dem thing. as evidenced by the real world and election results.

"I wonder how much research has gone into predicting the outcome of such actions?"

Just ask Rumsfeld, what will happen if we drop a nuke somewhere "north, south, east or west" of Israel.

I'm sure he has adequate intelligence to assure that we would never do anything as stupid as irradiating the whole Middle east, just to own their oil...

I guess you get around to telling how the GOP can win with Steele at the end of your column. Apparently, Russell Simmons taking time off from yoga class and cameos on "Rev. Run's House" to endorse Steele is a significant development.

You can't be serious.

Why does your column not talk about what tangible steps have been taken by the GOP in Maryland to make Steele an attractive candidate to African American constituents? Is there anything to suggest the existence of such a GOP strategy for Steele? If one does exist, is there any polling to show that Steele is gaining ground among African American voters? Or is the Russell Simmons endorsement all you got?

Krauthammer's a pathetic pseudointellectual who has been so thoroughly discredited over the past few years I'm still baffled that the Post gives him space on their pages.

Tina, Condi will never run and won't be elected for this line if nothing else:

"I don't think that anybody could have predicted that these people would take an airplane and slam it into the World Trade Center, take another one and slam it into the Pentagon, that they would try to use an airplane as a missile"

In saying that, she proved herself either to be a liar or completely incompetent. Very bad either way.

So much "spin" today, Nothing Krauthammer says should carry little weight. Consider the source. He is a right-winger at their best. My opinion, of course.

"The oil is funding the rebuilding of Iraq, the millions from oil in Iraq is paying over 200,000 security forces and the members of Parliment and other government services. Oil funds today in Iraq are better used to help the people directly far better than Saddam and his thugs ever did."
Actually, deficit spending by the US government is funding the rebuilding of Iraq and paying those salaries, oil production is not up to pre-war levels. Your children will be paying the debt to rebuild a government which will likely be aligned with Iran at the time. Great job there.

FYI- about giving African Americans positions of power

National African American Elected Officials:
House Of Representatives
Democrats:
Sanford Bishop of Georgia
Corrine Brown of Florida
G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina
Julia Carson of Indiana
Donna Christian-Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands
William Lacy Clay, Jr. of Missouri
Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri
Jim Clyburn of South Carolina
John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan
Elijah Cummings of Maryland
Artur Davis of Alabama
Danny K. Davis of Illinois
Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania
Harold Ford, Jr. of Tennessee
Al Green of Texas
Alcee Hastings of Florida
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. of Illinois
William J. Jefferson of Louisiana
Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas
Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Michigan
Barbara Lee of California
Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas
John Lewis of Georgia
Cynthia McKinney of Georgia
Kendrick Meek of Florida
Gregory Meeks of New York
Juanita Millender-McDonald of California
Gwen Moore of Wisconsin
Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia
Senator Barack Obama of Illinois
Major Owens of New York
Donald Payne of New Jersey
Charles B. Rangel of New York
Bobby Rush of Illinois
Bobby Scott of Virginia
David Scott of Georgia
Bennie Thompson of Mississippi
Edolphus Towns of New York
Maxine Waters of California
Diane Watson of California
Mel Watt of North Carolina
Albert Wynn of Maryland

Republicans:
None

Senate
Democrats:
Barak Obama of Illinois

Republicans:
None

Cabinet
Bush 43 total:
Colin Powell (State)
Condoleeza Rice (State)
Rod Paige (Education)
Alphonso Johnson (HUD)

Clinton total:
Mike Espy (Agriculture)
Hazel O'Leary (Energy)
Ron Brown (Commerce)
Alexis Herman (Labor)
Rodney Slater (Transportation)
Jesse Brown (VA)
Togo West (VA)

bsimon,

You can look at what happened to the Iraqi nuclear reactor when the Isreali Air Force took it out in 1980. I don't believe there was significant leakage.

I stand corrected, you aren't suggesting we nuke them, just that, with conventional weapons, we take out their nukes.

Which don't exist.

Sound familiar?

Here we are talking about bombing Iran's nukes and our own intelligence says they are at least 5 years from The Bomb, if even that close.

It isn't nukes the neocons don't want Iran to have, it is control of world energy production. Bush said so himself.

But as long as we refuse to apply American ingenuity to energy alternatives instead of inventing more deadly military weapons, they (Iran) will continue to have the ability to do just that.

By the way, as for your Christian understanding, what do you suppose they mean by "the lake of fire?"

Read Revelations 11-18, especially the last line.

"Again, let me ask, for the record, can anyone be certain that nuking Iran wouldn't poison Israel forever?"

I'm not proposing said nuking, but using nuke-tipped 'bunker busters' on Iranian enrichment facilities might contain the leakage. Though I'm not an expert on the issue, and now realize that the risk is not likely from the weapon, but from the leakage from a compromised reactor; I wonder how much research has gone into predicting the outcome of such actions?

i'd be willing to consider a steele win if there was at least ONE poll EVER that showed him even tied (hell, i'll settle for just within the MOE) with cardin or mfume. as there's not, you repubs really need to focus your energy elsewhere--PRONTO.

Gaithersburg-
The Star Tribune poll is under discussion at that web site. Suffice it to say, all the GOPers claim the poll is biased, and has been for years. Whether the race is actually 24 points or the 10ish shown in other polls, it ain't looking good for a GOP pickup.

"it seems to go without saying that they must believe that the basis for this is just."

God decides what is just, not the Saducees and Pharisees and their toadie scribes (Krauthammer). Look them up, compare them to your own list of preachers and teachers, and keep your mind open when you do.

But that was not my real point, the question really isn't whether it is "just" to murder millions, but rather whether it is safe to drop nukes in Iran, and can anyone assure it won't poison Israel?

And if you think, because I oppose Bush that I don't want to protect Israel, you are quite wrong. But this Cheney administration policy does not protect Israel, it moves them closer to disaster every day, in the name of Halliburton and Big Oil.

Again, let me ask, for the record, can anyone be certain that nuking Iran wouldn't poison Israel forever?

Simple question and a very real concern. Anyone who claims to have the answer is speculating, at best.

JEP,

Who said anything about nukes? Hitting Iran would be the type of airstrike that was done in Iraq about 20 times in the decade after the Gulf War.

I don't know if hitting Iran would make sense, but it makes a whole lot more sense to hit Iran than it did to go into Iraq. Iran's support of terror is unquestioned and widespread. Their disregard of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty needs serious addressing.

Most importantly, however, if we hadn't gone into Iraq, we would have had the needed international backing to make such a strike. After 9/11 we had the support of the world behind us, and GWB piddled that away. We could have dealt with terror effectively, but the neo-con cabal had a personal score to settle.

And now our options are more limited. It might still be the right thing to do, even if the neo-cons want it. Any correlation between what the neo-cons want and the right thing to do is completely coincidental.

Anyone else seeing a trend here?

Mike Miller calls Steele an 'uncle tom'...
KKT staffers pass out oreo cookies about Steele...
NYC blogger partially funded by VA Dems post photo of Steele in minstrel makeup...
Now Cardin campaign staffer revives racist tone with reference to oreos again...

These aren't coincidences--they're intentional. Hopefully black voters see how to the Democrat Party you can only 'really' be black if you agree with them. Such an arrogant attitude doesn't represent the very fairness and issue-oriented approach I think black voters want.

Steele has a great shot at winning. I think the trick is how many voters does Steele talk to personally--particularly Democrats and Independents. If I were Steele I'd spend every minute of every day trying to address small groups of Dems and Indp's statewide because the Republicans already will vote for him. Steele's power is in his charismatic appeal and ability to communicate with people one on one or in small group settings. You meet him, you love him.

Anyone else seeing a trend here?

Mike Miller calls Steele an 'uncle tom'...
KKT staffers pass out oreo cookies about Steele...
NYC blogger partially funded by VA Dems post photo of Steele in minstrel makeup...
Now Cardin campaign staffer revives racist tone with reference to oreos again...

These aren't coincidences--they're intentional. Hopefully black voters see how to the Democrat Party you can only 'really' be black if you agree with them. Such an arrogant attitude doesn't represent the very fairness and issue-oriented approach I think black voters want.

Steele has a great shot at winning. I think the trick is how many voters does Steele talk to personally--particularly Democrats and Independents. If I were Steele I'd spend every minute of every day trying to address small groups of Dems and Indp's statewide because the Republicans already will vote for him. Steele's power is in his charismatic appeal and ability to communicate with people one on one or in small group settings. You meet him, you love him.

Thank goodness for Bhoomes: she wrote "while republicans give blacks real power. (think Powell,Rice, Blackwell and Steele.)"

There is usually so much Republican bashing in here, that it is hard to find out any facts for reading. The Fix creates some interesting reports, but the Dems just have to come in here, day and day.

Look at this NO-BID complaint. How could the USA have created any bid to repair the Oil fields in Iraq before March 2003? Which company had the experience and skilled workers to go in there quickly and get the oil fields flowing after sabotage? In case you all forgot it, Saddam ordered his thugs to rig explosives (much like the hundreds of Kuwait oil wells sabotaged in 1991 when Saddam's miltary retreated). Do you remember all the animal-rights people who whined and complained that trained dolphins were helping US divers find and destroy mines in the Persian Gulf in March and April 2003? The oil is funding the rebuilding of Iraq, the millions from oil in Iraq is paying over 200,000 security forces and the members of Parliment and other government services. Oil funds today in Iraq are better used to help the people directly far better than Saddam and his thugs ever did.

So tell me the answer, Democrats, which company did you want to go into Iraq under grave danger to repair the sabotaged oil wells? Or did you just want Saddam to continue to murdering his own people?

Back to Bhoomes. If you saw the buzz about Obama in Iowa this past weekend, you can understand the equal excitement about Condi running. She was interviewed by Rush Limbaugh last Friday, and I doubt the Democrats want her to run. It is very pleasing for me to see the chance for Condi or Obama to run in 2008. Powell had a chance in 1996, and yes, I heard his wife was worried someone would shoot him. That alone is a very sad sad comment about the condition of our nation when someone would shoot a strong leader like Powell. (if you lived at the time of the murder of Martin Luther King, then you remember the horrible condition of our nation at that time and soon later, Bobby Kennedy was shot dead in June 1968) Again, a very sad time in our recent history.

It's not imperialism. It is doing what is necessary to pretect the Homeland.

Hard times require hard decisions.

Besides, given the level of support our party has recieved from christian Evangelicals, The Catholic Bishops, Baptists, conservative African American churches etc., it seems to go without saying that they must believe that the basis for this is just.

But this is very off the subject. Steele will win and both houses will stay republican.

"As Mr. Krauthammer says though, it will be take a great deal of sacrifice on the part of the American people to eliminate this dire Iranian threat."

The "sacrifice" Krauthammer speaks of is the lives of your children and mine. And billions more in no-bid taxes.

His paranoia about the "dire" threat facing us is outpaced only by his urgency to mislead others into a terrible regional war of nuclear proportions.

If we spent a fraction of our war budget on developing alternative fuels, the Iranians would not represent the threat the oilmen are all afraid of. If we had alternatives, we wouldn't have to go to war to protect our SUV's just so we can enrich our SOB's.

Just whathappens to Israel if we nuke Iran? Does Krauthammer think he can predict imaginary weather patterns, that somehow assure the fallout wouldn't poison the whole middle-east. Tourism is one of the few natural resources other than oil left in the Middle East, and dropping nukes in the middle of it would end that forever.

Who wants to vist a place that glows in the dark?

Or is that the plan, just take it (the Misddle east)all out, create a scorched Earth policy that turns Israel into a wasteland in our attempt to protect it.

Remember Chernobyl.

It is still a poison land, uninhabitable and inhospitable. And many nations around it still suffer radiation poisoning. What Krauthammer suggests could turn Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, not to mention Saudia Arabia, into a land of lingering luekemia and lymphoma.

It is just not as simple as "taking out Iran." But it sure seems easy for them to say.

Hey, Chris, is that you fiddling with the scroller?

What a prankster.

JEP

From Rasmussen Polling (which skews a tad Republican). All involve Republican incumbent Senators:



Montana Senate

Jon Tester (D) 52%
Conrad Burns* (R) 43%


Ohio Senate

Sherrod Brown (D) 47%
Mike DeWine* (R) 41%


Rhode Island Senate

Sheldon Whitehouse (D) 51%
Lincoln Chafee* (R) 43%

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/

A lot of talk about Gen. Powell. Once he was among the respected men in the country, if not the most. Now look at what this Adminastration has done gor him. Cardin will win.

Aren't we forgetting about the third candidate? Kevin Zeese, nominee of the Green and Libertarian parties, should be included in the debates.

Aren't we forgetting about the third candidate? Kevin Zeese, nominee of the Green and Libertarian parties, should be included in the debates.

I live in PG County (8 years). I'm Black, have lived in Maryland all my life (40 years). I have a Comp Sci degree, and an MBA (summa cum laude). Steele does not represent my views. I will not vote for him.

PG County is heavily Black; heavily Democratic. It's not changing anytime soon. Steele's non-message does not resonate here at all.

If Barbara Mikulski and\or Paul Sarbanes ever come out to endorse Cardin, THE RACE WILL BE OVER IMMEDIATELY!

"truly noble and necessawry sacrifice"

dropping nukes ANYTIME is about as noble as a cowpie on the kitchen table...

When did we abandon that concept we call "innocent lives?"

Aparently, in our neocon imperialism, there are no innocents.

by the way....I'm a liberal dem, and I agree with CC that Steele ad on TV is pretty good.

"the only reason Abramoff is not an issue to the public"

Then why is Abramoff one of the most well-known names in America these days?

Just because the media isn't covering the story doesn't mean the public doesn't have it on their minds.

drindl

Krauthammer did go into the catastrophic outcomes of us bombing Iran. He also explained in some detail the terrible ourcomes if we didn't bomb them.

That's the sad sidebar story to Iraq. Here we have a military action that I'm sure most of my fellow real conservatives would support. A true strike on the War on Terror.

As you say, we don't have forces on the ground, but this would be an air exercise.

As Mr. Krauthammer says though, it will be take a great deal of sacrifice on the part of the American people to eliminate this dire Iranian threat.

Sadly because of Abramoff, allegations of crony Halibutrton cronyism and loss of respect for the presidency, the failure of the president and congress to follow consistent principles causes us no longer have the standing to convince the American people that this is a truly noble and necessawry sacrifice.

"Thank God so many honest Republicans are now standing up to this many-headed hydra of a godawful governmental disaster."

A very positive and productive post, and so very, very true.

Graham, Warner and McCain aren't leftie Dems, they are core Republicans. They all deserve our respect for finally sayng "NO" to the Cheney administration.

Here's a neocon solution to two problems;

Why don't we round up all the illegal aliens and put them in uniform, then send them to Iraq?

Once they fix everything, they can come back and we will make them citizens, they would make great border guards.

(This plan is very similar to what destroyed Rome...)

PS FREE WILLIE!!!!

Montgomery Village Mom wrote: What this fails to grasp is the fact that there will be registered democrats that vote for Steele.

Mom: And what you fail to grasp is that there will be registered Republicans that will not vote for Steele.

The math simply favors Cardin, and once he starts running ads showing Steele and Bush together, whatever share of the black vote Steele might have had a shot at will start to plummet.

1A318, the only reason Abramoff is not an issue to the public is because it is totally swallowed up by the reams upon reams of OTHER bad news caused by the GOP. Outing ONE CIA agent pales in comparison to $300B spent on a useless war not to mention Katrina, the economy stupid, immigration, stem cell research, NSA spying, illegal detention/torture, etc...

Maybe that was the NeoCon's plan afterall... Hurl SO MUCH garbage at the American people that they become desensitized to outright brutality and corruption of the worst kind. So far it's worked. Thank God so many honest Republicans are now standing up to this many-headed hydra of a godawful governmental disaster.

'This will be critically important when and if we have to take on Iran. The Post's Mr. Krauthhammer made a very astute and elegant argument this morning that we will be forced to bomb Iran sometime in the next twelve months because the implications of not doing will allow the unbridled growth of Iranian sponsored terror.

As he claims, the Europeans do not understand we are operating in their best interests if we take out the Iranian nuclear capability.'

Don't fall for this. Please. You are smarter than this. Read about PNAC ttp://pnac.info/index.php/2003/superb-article-the-mideast-neocons-on-the-line/.

This has nothing to do with state-sponsored terrorism. There were plans made 10 years ago [don't take my word for it, read about it] by the neocons currently in power [including cheney and rumsfeld] for the united states to take control of the entire Middle Eastern oil supply. It's all for Halliburton and Exxon Mobil.

And where are we going to get the troops to fight this? We have 0 units with battle readiness. Most of our active military has been deployed several times. Their equipment is shredded. And yet, military budgets are being axed, while shadowy contractors are making out big. And where will the money come from, when we have already borrowed and pissed away several generations' livelihoods?

And you think we bomb them and kills thousands of civilians, and they don't do anything? Iran is a wealthy, modern state, nothing like Iraq. And much, much bigger. If we bomb Iran, then we will likely get hit with nuclear weapons from Pakistan. Do you really want WW3? Have you got any kids? Do you want a future?

If we had behaved with the Soviets the way these people in power are behaving now, the world would be a smouldering heap of ashes.

Don't fall for it... it's Iraq all over again. Only much, much worse.

How can you vote for Steele when he doesn't even use the Maryland State Dog in his newest commercial? He uses somekind of French Bulldog...FRENCH, mind you, Not even American or English...why didn't he use our state dog: Chesapeake Bay Retriever?
Now there's a campaign issue, if I ever heard one...

So much enthusiastic talk about about Abramoff here. Did anyone read todays Washington post? No one really cares. Not on the radar screen. This is not cronyism, but the way any government works to some extent.

As a Republican for many years, I have witnessed the same thing when the democrats were in power. If the system allows it, then what happens-happens.

Between the lines though is the greater concern that the administration's decreasing level of credibility nationally will accellerate the loss of respect internationally affecting our ability to act on the international stage.

This will be critically important when and if we have to take on Iran. The Post's Mr. Krauthhammer made a very astute and elegant argument this morning that we will be forced to bomb Iran sometime in the next twelve months because the implications of not doing will allow the unbridled growth of Iranian sponsored terror.

As he claims, the Europeans do not understand we are operating in their best interests if we take out the Iranian nuclear capability.

But this will take a level of credibility we have lost. If this administration had stayed true to our conservative principles, this would not be an issue.

I don't know how I got to tis point from my first point saying that our party can achieve success because we have the money and the organization. As another poster pointed out though, Success at what cost.

Clearly deviation from our core conservative beliefs.

Off topic:

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune:

DFL U.S. Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar continues to hold a dominant lead over GOP rival Mark Kennedy, 56 to 32 percent, in the latest Minnesota Poll, a margin similar to the one she had in July.

Independence Party candidate Robert Fitzgerald remains at 3 percent; other candidates garnered less than 1 percent.

A sense by many that the nation is on the wrong track, mounting disapproval of President Bush and an energized DFL base all appear to be factors in the gap between Klobuchar and Kennedy.

Klobuchar is ahead of Kennedy in virtually every demographic category that the poll measured and has extended a lead among moderates and independents over the summer.

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/683216.html

(NOTE: The DFL is the local version of the Democratic Party).

From Isaiah Poole's post on TomPaine today, what a great line. How much more truth can you get into one sentence?

"Indeed, how in the world could we have been sent down this road? The answer is all too clear. The administration that ignored the facts to get us into Iraq behaves as if the public will ignore the facts about the occupation and the criminal behavior that has accompanied it."

And apologies to the Post, they did do a piece about "Imperial Life in the Emerald City" by Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran, which also talks about the multi-billion dollar no-bid corruption.

But today's hearings should be headlines in every newspaper across the world. Instead, it will take the blogs to get the public involved.

Anybody know of any media coverage about this event that is mainstream? Please point us there.

Oh dear, the shiite hitting the fan -- thanks for the visual. Totally politically incorrect, but made me laugh.

Being black and a Republican is not an unorthodox resume, it's simply a statement of identity.

As per usual, the folks over at Tom Paine got the real story out, on the blogs, when the WaPo, NYTimes and the rest of our "left-wing" media (can I get a Chris Matthews HA!) were spinning away at lesser news.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/09/18/exposing_the_war_profiteers.php

$20 BILLION in unaccounted funds, all traceable to no-bid contracts given to cronies of the Cheney administration?

Today is a very important day in the history of the whole world. Wonder if the MSM will have the power to report it?

The shiite's about to hit the fan...

Now there's a loaded zinger.

Multiple entendres always make for good reading.

JEP

Steele is way out of step with the ideology of Maryland. Anyone who would vote for him just because he is African American better think again. Michael Steele fully supports massive social security cuts, a tax increase on the middle class to pay for the abolition of the capital gains and estate taxes, is against stem cell research and the death penalty for some strange reason. Electing Mike Steele to the Senate would be the biggest mistake that the state of Maryland could ever make.

Mikepfc, sad indeed--but not much has changed. Spend a few minutes in the fever swamps of rightwing white supremasict blogworld, and you'll come away sickened, but not surprised.The nazis live on...

From Sydney Blumenthal:

'Bush claims are these methods that are "not torture" are necessary because they produce valuable intelligence on terrorism activities. Yet an FBI agent involved in the interrogations wrote on December 5, 2003, "These tactics have produced no intelligence of a threat neutralization nature to date and . . ."

The U.S. Army agrees emphatically. On September 6, the same day that Bush unveiled his new plan for torture and kangaroo courts, Lieutenant General John F. Kimmons, the Army's Deputy Chief of Intelligence, in his presentation of the Army's new field manual on interrogation that specifically encoded the Geneva Conventions rules against torture, said directly: "No good intelligence comes from abusive interrogation practices."

The debate over Bush's insistence on the use of torture is not a weird aberration, but central to his entire radical project to transform the American constitutional system, create an unaccountable executive, and operate outside the rule of law if he so decides. I describe at length the origins, history and politics of Bush's ruthless coercion of the senior military, the intelligence community and congressional Republicans to accept torture and comply with his idea of an imperial presidency in "How Bush Rules: Chronicles of a Radical Regime." Once the background is understood it will not come as a surprise that Bush has provoked a revolt by traditional Republicans and the senior military, pushed into the position of defending American values against Bush's radicalism. The outcome is by no means obvious.'

Steele is way out of step with the ideology of Maryland. Anyone who would vote for him just because he is African American better think again. Michael Steele fully supports massive social security cuts, a tax increase on the middle class to pay for the abolition of the capital gains and estate taxes, is against stem cell research and the death penalty for some strange reason. Electing Mike Steele to the Senate would be the biggest mistake that the state of Maryland could ever make.

I once hoped that Powell would run for President as a Republican. Then I dated a friend of the Powell family for short time and she swore that Colin's wife would never let him run. She was convinced that he would be assasinated if he ran. Sad, but who could blame her for thinking that. This was over 10 years ago, so maybe she has changed her thoughts, but I doubt Powell will ever run for president.

Drindl;

My memory is twitching, but Google can't fix it for some reason, I can't find a reference to the "oreo" event, but I think I recall something about it. There actually was an event where some of the people in the crowd tossed Oreos at Steele.

But it was not a crowd of partisan Democrats trying to create a political scandal, I think it was a crowd of black people who did it, not whites.

For Republicans to play the race card is pure hypocrisy. I dare say, most black Republicans originally joined that party because they are fiscal conservatives, and were fed up with legendary "tax-and-spend" Democratic Party habits.

But now that the Republican party's fiscal conservatives have been beaten up by the no-bidders, they don't have many good arguments left to inspire black professionals and businesspeople to join the party, for any reason.

Those few that remained to become neocon posterblacks could quite easily be labeled "tokens," especially by those of their own race.

And I would guess that is what the black audience intended when they threw those oreos.

By the way, you are a real gentleman, JEP...

Bhoomes - You'd better hope not. The recent dozens of people coming foreward with proof that the Bush Administration has been hiring *all* discretionary federal employees with the sole criteria that they are blind Bush loyalists is bad enough, but the exposure that Bush Whitehouse insiders have been takintg BRIBES from China and India to promote "free trade", outsourcing jobs, guest workers, and technology transfers sort crosses the line of treason...hum? Or, don't you Repug's now think that selling American military secrets, taking bribes, and the like amount to treason any longer? Just a part of Bush's plans for "globalization"... Geporge Bush and his cronies are a greater danger to the United States than Osama Bin Laudin or any group of ragtag psychotic terrorists.

Certainly our President has shown us he is no Eisenhower.

What worries me is that, there was some discussion on this blog a few days ago about this, that Colin Powell might be wooed by middle of the road democrats because he is more concerned with the state of our country's moral standing than lock step loyalty to a particular administration.

And quite frankly, Mr Obama poses a threat based on some of the comments above. If he takes a moderate view, championing fiscal responsibility and reform, he could pose quite a challenge to anyone our party can propose.

'You see evidence that America is a meritocracy and that racism is being conquered, and twist it to your sick world view.'

Puh-leeze. Right -- 'America is a meritotracy.' And that's why we have a filthy rich [family fortune from collaborating with the Nazies in WW2] AWOL, cokehead fratboy who could only pull a C when he paid for it, as president.

Tell me more fairytales...

Don't fool yourself by flowery writing that Pelosi and Reid are anything but career politicoes. Reid has plenty of scandel associated with him including ties to Abramoff and Pelosi has violated many, many finance laws. Look into her two, count em, two, PACS. examine her reporting tardiness - which Ney will go to jail for. why is a congressman who was found with $10K in bribes still on his committee? Still running for his seat? can you say double standard? why don't Dems have ethical standards similar to how Delay was deprived of his position? Why don't Dems have term limits on charimanships? why is only one party able to police its own? why is a federal judge who was impeached from the bench for bribery a sitting Dem member? why is a Congressman who ran a brothel out of his DC house still around? why is a Senator who drowned a girl and then ran away still around? Just asking. think about it. And you all are angry because the President wants to do everything possible to prevent us from being killed by wacky Muslims. focus.

I always think the numbers are fascinating. the blog states "The most recent count of Maryland's registered voters showed Democrats at roughly 1.7 million, Republicans at 900,000 and independent/unaffilated voters at 430,000.

Do the math. If Steele wins every Republican and unaffiliated vote, he still is 400,000 votes short of the total number of registered Democrats in the state. Of course, not every registered voter (Democrat, Republican or independent) will cast a ballot on Nov. 7, but the numbers show the immensity of Steele's challenge."

What this fails to grasp is the fact that there will be registered democrats that vote for Steele. In the previous Governor's race this also occurred. Steele appeals to moderates and will take some democrat votes. I think the pollsters will be surprised again by the results in Maryland. That in itself is not surprising since the polls do not have a good track record in Maryland over the last couple of elections (including this past primary). In any case, I haven't yet made my decision and am eagerly looking forward to election night and watching the returns come in.

I've seen Mr. Steele's ads, and I think they are jaw-droppingly bad. The new one is absolute drivel. He first blames the "Wasington crowd" for negative ads (I haven't seen a single ad about Steele yet from the Democrats)-- thereby offending people in the Washington suburbs, a huge proportion of whom are African-American. And I simply don't understand the joke about hating/liking puppies-- who in their right mind thought this nonsense was a good idea for a political ad?

Me, I want to hear issues. I want to hear Steele's take on the environment, Iraq, the "Patriot" Act, stem cell research (he had the gall to compare embryonic stem cell research to the Holocaust), and so forth. I know how Cardin would vote on these issues-- his votes in the House are very much in synch with Maryland politics.

Of course, there will be some crossover votes for Steele from the African-American Democratic community. There will probably also be some crossover votes to Cardin from the Jewish Republican community. Let me also add that though I don't have the numbers in front of me, the last 4 years saw a huge number of new registrations, including my own daughter and all of her friends-- and the proportion of new voters was more heavily Democratic than the Maryland population as a whole (not one of her friends registered as a Republican). It's my guess that for the first 10 years or so, barring a major change in the national party, that new voters tend to vote their party affiliation.

I was an election judge in Baltimore County for the primary, one of the precincts where there were actually very few problems. Quite a few voters told me, "My party affiliation should have been changed to Democrat by now"-- only one person told me that he'd switched to the Republican Party. I asked one of the people switching, "I don't mean to get personal, but would you tell me why you switched parties?" She answered succinctly, "George Bush!"

I think Cardin's going to win with a large margin. All he has to do is point out that Bush, Cheney, AND Rove have all done fundraisers for Steele (even though he doesn't want to be anywhere near them now!), and point out that Steele opposes embryonic stem cell research, pro-choice rights, and sides with developers, rather than with environmental concerns.

Correction; I meant banning gifts FROM lobbyists.

And how does he expect as a low seniority freshman to promptly end all the pork-barrel earmarking? Sounds pretty naive (though it would be interesting to see him go toe-to-toe with Ted Stevens on that matter.)

"Winnable race for Steele"?

Only if the Democrats are foolish enough to let him get away with misrepresenting himself as moderate and independent.

Steele supports the Bush position on many important issues including stem cell research, a woman's right to choose, the War in Iraq, the minimum wage increase, the privatization of social security, the Bush nominees to the federal judiciary, etc.

I think that most voters in Maryland will find it difficult to vote for someone who campaigned for Bush in 2004, who was asked to run for the seat by Bush, has taken in millions of dollars from right wing organizations, and has repeatedly lied about being the victim of racism at the hands of white Democrats.

Lastly, I agree with the first poster. Al Wynn has some nerve given that he supported Gansler over Simms.

"I believe Steele will win, because the dems sent a loud message to their black base, "We want your votes but you need to stay in your place and don't expect to have any real power in our party. Your just for window dressing". I have always believed the real bigots are the dems because they like to think of blacks as helpless and needing their patronage, while republicans give blacks real power. (think Powell,Rice, BlACKWELL and Steele.)"

Actually, I think it proves just the opposite. Dems don't have the need to point to people and say, "See, we're not really racist, we even nominate a couple of token black people to be our sacrificial lambs." There's a few reasons Powell opted against a presidential run, you know...

" Colin Powell earned his stripes in Vietnam, no doubt back when politicians sent him to Vietnam as "just another negro". "

What a blatantly ignorant and offensive comment. Colin Powell went to Vietnam as an officer, just like white officers James Webb and John McCain for example. Officers don't wear "stripes."

You see evidence that America is a meritocracy and that racism is being conquered, and twist it to your sick world view.

Yes, even Republicans can treat blacks fairly. And a few blacks might even choose to be